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( < 


y y 


MY NAME IS ETHAN ALLEN 


A Little Maid of 
Ticonderoga 

BY 

Alice Turner Curtis 


AUTHOR OF 

“A Little Maid of Province Town” 

‘‘A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony” 
“A Little Maid of Narragansett Bay” 
“A Little Maid of Bunker Hill” 

Illustrated by Wuanita Smith 



THE PENN PUBLISHING 
COMPANY PHILADELPHIA 
1917 


COPYRIGHT 
1917 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBLISHING 
C OMP ANY 



A Little Maid of Ticonderoga 


AUG -3 1917 

f/ 

©Cl. A 4 7 3 0 2 9 


Introduction 


This is the story of a little girl whose home 
was among the Green Mountains of Vermont, 
then known as “ The Wilderness,” at the begin- 
ning of the American Revolution; and at the 
time when Ethan Allen and his brave soldiers 
were on guard to defend their rights. Ethan 
Allen was the friend of Faith, the heroine of the 
story, whose earnest wish to be of help is ful- 
filled. She journeys from her Wilderness home 
across Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga, and 
spends a winter with her aunt and cousin near 
Fort Ticonderoga. Here she learns a secret 
about the fort that is of importance later to 
Ethan Allen’s “ Green Mountain Boys.” 

There are two very interesting bears in this 
story. Like the earlier volumes of this series, 
“ A Little Maid of Province Town,” “ A Little 
Maid of Massachusetts Colony,” “ A Little Maid 
of Narragansett Bay,” and “ A Little Maid of 
3 


4 


INTRODUCTION 


Bunker Hill ” — the present volume introduces 
the heroes of American history and tells of 
famous deeds and places of which all American 
children should know. 


Contents 


I. 

Esther and Bruin 


* 

* 

9 

II. 

Faith Makes a Promise 




22 

III. 

More Mischief 




33 

IV. 

A New Plan . 




42 

V. 

K ASH AQUA 




5i 

VI. 

The Journey 




59 

VII. 

New Friends 




70 

VIII. 

The Shoemaker’s Daughter 



81 

IX. 

Louise .... 




90 

X. 

The Major’s Daughters 




100 

XI. 

A Day of Adventure . 




110 

XII. 

Secrets .... 


o 


119 

XIII. 

Louise Makes a Present 




129 

XIV. 

A Birthday . 




140 

XV. 

New Adventures . 




150 

XVI. 

Louise Disappears 




161 

XVII. 

Faith Again Visits the Fort 



172 

XVIII. 

Home Again . 




184 

XIX. 

Faith Writes a Letter 


& 


194 

XX. 

The Capture of the Fort 


o 


208 


5 












• • 


























Illustrations 


“ My Name Is Ethan Allen ” 
The Little Girls Said Good-Bye 
“ I’m So Glad You Came ” . 

“ Do You Own This Lake ? ” 

“ What Are You Doing Here? ” 


PAGE 

. . Frontispiece 

• 53 

. . . hi 

. . . 148 

. . . 181 


A Little Maid of Ticonderoga 


/ 




4 


A Little Maid of Ticonderoga 


CHAPTER I 

ESTHER AND BRUIN 

Faith Carew was ten years old when Esther 
Eldridge came to visit her. Faith lived in a 
big comfortable log cabin on one of the sloping 
hillsides of the Green Mountains. Below the 
cabin was her father’s mill ; and to Faith it al- 
ways seemed as if the mill-stream had a gay 
little song of its own. She always listened for 
it when she awoke each morning. 

“ I wonder if Esther will hear what the brook 
sings ? ” thought Faith as she drew on her moc- 
casin slippers and dressed as quickly as she 
could, for her mother had already called her 
twice, and Faith had just reached the top of the 
stairs when the third call of, “ Faith ! Faith ! 
I shall not keep your porridge hot another in- 
stant,” sounded from the kitchen. 

9 


IO 


A LITTLE MAID 


“I’m coming, mother dear,” the little girl 
called back, and hurried down the stairs, won- 
dering to herself why grown people who could 
always do exactly as they pleased should think 
it best to rise before the sun was really up. 

“ Your father was off to the mill an hour 
ago,” said Mrs. Carew, setting a bowl of steam- 
ing porridge on the end of the table beside a 
narrow window, “ so you will have to eat your 
porridge alone.” 

Faith sat down at the table, looking out 
through the open window toward the mill. 

“ I do hope Esther Eldridge and her father 
will come to-day,” she said. “ Do you think they 
will, mother dear ? ” 

“ Yes, child ; they will probably arrive before 
sunset. Your father expected them yesterday. 
It will be a fine thing for you to have a little 
girl for a companion. But she is a village child, 
and may not be happy in the Wilderness,” re- 
sponded Mrs. Carew. 

“ Why, of course she will like being here 1 
Just think, she has never seen wheat ground 
into flour ! And she can see that in our mill ; 
and she has always walked on real roads, and 
here she will not even see a road ; and I know 


OF TICONDEROGA 


1 1 

many pleasant paths where we can walk, and I 
can tell her the names of different trees and 
flowers. I'm sure she will think the Wilderness 
a fine place,” said Faith, nodding her head so that 
her yellow curls seemed to dance about her face. 

“I hope they make the journey from 
Brandon safely. Your father has been told 
that the Indians have been troublesome to the 
settlers near Lake Dunmore ; and besides that, 
there are many bears coming out into the clear- 
ings these fine autumn days. But Mr. Eldridge 
is a good shot, and I am seeking trouble in 
naming Indians or bears. Finish your break- 
fast, Faithie, and run to the garden and bring 
me in the ripest of the pumpkins ; for I must 
make some cakes for our company.” 

The Carews lived in a log house on a slope 
of cleared ground running down to the mill- 
stream. There were no roads, only rough trails, 
and they had no near neighbors. Faith's father 
had a large grant of land, a “ New Hampshire 
Grant,” it was called, which ran toward the 
eastern shore of Lake Champlain. Faith had 
no playmates, and when Mr. Eldridge, of the 
town of Brandon, had sent word that he was 
coming to see Mr. Carew on business and would 


12 


A LITTLE MAID 


bring his small daughter with him, Faith had 
been overjoyed and had made many plans of 
what she would do to entertain her visitor. 

Faith finished her breakfast, and helped her 
mother clear the table and wash the dishes, and 
then went up the slope to where a number of 
fine pumpkins and squashes, growing among 
the corn, were ripening in the early September 
sunshine. She looked about carefully, and se- 
lected a yellow pumpkin. “ This is about as 
large as my head/’ she said aloud, “ and I guess 
it is about the same color,” and she ran back to 
the house carrying the pumpkin, which Mrs. 
Carew set to bake in the brick oven beside the 
fireplace. 

“ When it is baked may I fix the shell for a 
work-basket for Esther ? ” asked Faith. 

“ Yes, indeed,” answered Mrs. Carew smil- 
ingly. “ Your Aunt Prissy was greatly pleased 
with the one you gave her when she visited here 
last autumn.” 

“ I wish I could go to Ticonderoga and visit 
Aunt Prissy,” said Faith. 

“ Why, so you shall some day. But Tis a 
troublesome journey, since one must be set 
across the strait,” replied her mother. “ But 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*3 

look, child ! Can it be that Mr. Eldridge has 
arrived at this early hour? ” 

“ Yes, indeed. I see his little girl ! Look, 
mother ! Father has lifted her down from the 
horse ; and Mr. Eldridge is walking, too ! Oh, 
mother ! See the fine hat she has on ! ” and 
Faith ran to the open door to get a better look 
at the little girl who was walking so slowly up 
the path to the log house. 

In a moment the little girl looked up toward 
the open door and Faith waved her hand. 

“ She didn’t wave back, mother dear,” ex- 
claimed Faith, and then the travelers were close 
at hand, and Mrs. Carew was greeting the tall, 
grave-faced man and welcoming Esther. 

“ My little girl was so tired that we stopped 
for the night at your neighbor Stanley’s house, 
five miles east,” said Mr. Eldridge ; “ and that 
is why we are in good season this morning.” 

While Mr. Eldridge was speaking Esther held 
fast to her father’s hand, her large black eyes 
fixed on Mrs. Carew. Faith looked at her 
admiringly, wishing that her own eyes were 
black, and that her feet were small like Esther’s, 
and that she had a hat with a wide scarlet 
ribbon. 


H 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Esther, this is Faith/' she heard her mother 
say, “ and she will try and make you so happy 
here that you will wish to stay all winter." 

The two little girls smiled shyly, and Esther 
let go her clasp on her father's hand and followed 
Mrs. Carew into the pleasant kitchen. Faith 
watched her eagerly ; she wondered why Esther 
looked about the big room with such a curious 
expression. “ Almost as if she did not like it," 
thought Faith. 

The little gray kitten came bouncing out from 
behind the big wood-box and Esther gave a 
startled exclamation. 

“ It’s just 1 Bounce,' " said Faith, picking up 
the kitten and smoothing its pretty head. “ I 
named it ‘ Bounce ' because it never seems to 
walk. It just bounces along." 

Esther smiled again, but she did not speak. 
Faith noticed that she was very thin, and that 
her hands looked almost like little brown 
shadows. 

“ Are you tired?" she asked, suddenly re- 
membering that she had heard her father say 
that u Mr. Eldridge’s little maid was not well, 
and he thought the change would do her good." 

Esther nodded. “ Yes, I'm always tired," 


OF TICONDEROGA 15 

she answered, sitting down in the low wooden 
rocker beside the light stand. 

“ For pity's sake, child, we must see to it that 
you are soon as strong and well as Faith," said 
Mrs. Carew, untying the broad scarlet ribbon 
and taking off Esther's hat. She smoothed back 
the dark hair with a tender hand, remembering 
that Esther's own mother was not well, and re- 
solving to do her best for this delicate child. 

“ I think the pumpkin is cooked by this time, 
Faithie. I'll set it in the window to cool and 
then you can take out the pulp and I'll make 
the cakes," said Mrs. Carew. 

Bounce jumped up in Esther's lap, and Faith 
sat down on the braided rug beside her. 

“ I'm going to make the pumpkin shell into 
a work-basket for you," said Faith. “ Did you 
ever see a pumpkin-shell work-basket ? ” 

Esther shook her head. She did not seem 
much interested. But she asked eagerly : 
“ Are the pumpkin cakes sweet ? " 

“ Yes, indeed. You shall have one as soon as 
they are baked ; may she not, mother dear ? " 

“ Why, yes ; only if Esther is not well it may 
not be wise for her to eat between meals," re- 
sponded Mrs. Carew. 


i6 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Oh ! Bat I eat cakes whenever I want 
them,” declared Esther, “ and I love sweets. I 
had a fine cake when I left home and I ate it all 
before we got to Lake Dunmore.” 

Mrs. Carew thought to herself that she did 
not wonder Esther was always tired and not 
strong. Esther did not say that the “ fine cake ” 
had been sent as a gift to Faith. But her face 
flushed a little, and she added, “ I meant to 
bring the cake as a present; but I was hungry.” 

“ Of course you were,” agreed Faith quickly. 
“ Is not the pumpkin cool enough to cut, mother 
dear ? ” asked Faith. 

“ Yes,” replied her mother, setting the yellow 
pumpkin on the table. 

“Come and see me do it, Esther,” said Faith, 
and Esther, with a little sigh, left the comfort- 
able chair and came and leaned against the 
table. 

With a sharp knife Faith cut a circle about 
the stem of the pumpkin and took it off, a little 
round, with the stem in the center. “ That 
will be the work-box cover,” she explained, lay- 
ing it carefully on a wooden plate. Then she 
removed the seeds and the pulp, putting the 
pulp in a big yellow bowl, and scraping the 


OF TICONDEROGA 


1 7 

inside of the pumpkin shell. “ There! Now 
when it dries a bit ’twill be a fine work-box, and 
it is for you, Esther,” she said ; but Esther was 
watching Mrs. Carew, who was beating up eggs 
with the pumpkin pulp. 

“ Do you put spices in the cakes ? ” she ques- 
tioned eagerly. “ How long before they will be 
baked ? ” 

Faith stood holding the yellow pumpkin shell, 
and looking at her visitor wonderingly. 

“ All she cares about are things to eat,” 
thought Faith, a little scornfully, setting the 
fine pumpkin shell on the table. 

Esther’s face brightened as she listened to 
Mrs. Carew’s description of pumpkin cakes, and 
of pumpkin pies sweetened with maple syrup. 

“ I think I must teach you to cook, Esther. 
I am sure you would soon learn,” said Mrs. 
Carew. 

“ I guess I wouldn’t be strong enough,” re- 
sponded Esther in a listless tone, going back to 
the rocking-chair, without even a glance at 
Faith’s present. 

“ Come, Esther, let’s go down to the mill. 
I’ll show you the big wheel, and how father 
raises the water-gate,” suggested Faith, who was 


i8 


A LITTLE MAID 


beginning to think that a visitor was not such 
a delightful thing, after all. 

Esther left her chair with a regretful sigh, 
and followed Faith out-of-doors. 

“ Listen ! ” said Faith. “ That rippling, sing- 
ing noise is the brook. ” 

Esther laughed. “ You’re funny,” she said. 
“ Why should I listen to a noisy old mill- 
stream ? ” 

“ I thought perhaps you’d like to hear it. I 
do. Sometimes, just as I go to sleep, I hear it 
singing about the stars, and about little foxes 

who come down to drink, and about birds ” 

Faith stopped suddenly, for Esther was laugh- 
ing; and as Faith turned to look at her she 
realized that Esther cared nothing about the 
music of the stream. 

“ I do believe you are silly,” Esther responded. 
“ Do you think your mother will bake the cakes 
and pies while we are away ? ” 

“ Yes,” replied Faith dully. Only that morn- 
ing she had said to herself how nice it would 
be to have a girl friend to talk with, but 
if Esther thought she was “ silly ” — why, of 
course, she must not talk. “ I’ll let her talk,” 
resolved Faith. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


19 

For a few moments the two little girls walked 
on in silence, then Esther said suddenly : “ Does 
your mother ever let you boil down maple 
molasses for candy ? ” 

“ Sometimes / 7 replied Faith. 

Esther slipped her little brown hand under 
Faith’s arm. “ Ask her to let us make candy 
this afternoon. Do. Tell her it will keep me 
from being lonesome. For my father will be 
going to Ticonderoga as soon as dinner is over ; 
he will be gone for days. Will you ask her, 
Faith ? 77 

“ Yes, I'll ask her , 77 Faith answered. 

“I know I 7 m going to have a fine visit , 77 
declared Esther, with more interest than she had 
shown since her arrival. “ Does your mother 
ever bake little pies, in saucers, for you ? 77 

“ No , 77 said Faith, still resolved to say no 
more than was necessary. 

“ Oh ! Doesn’t she ? That’s too bad. I wish 
I had asked her to. Then we could play keep- 
house in the afternoon, and have the pies to eat. 
Will your mother make pies again to-morrow ? 77 

“ I don’t know,” said Faith. 

Esther did not care much about the mill. 
She hardly glanced at the big water-wheel, and 


20 


A LITTLE MAID 


was eager to get back to the house. Several 
times she reminded Faith of her promise about 
the maple candy. Faith had expected that she 
and Esther would be the best of friends, but the 
time before dinner seemed very long to both the 
children. 

Soon after dinner Mr. Eldridge went on his 
way. He left his horse in Mr. Carew’s care, as 
he was to walk to the shore of Lake Champlain 
and trust to good fortune to find a canoe or boat 
in which he could cross the narrow strait to 
Ticonderoga. He would not return for a week, 
and he seemed greatly pleased that his little 
daughter was so contented to be left with her 
new friends. 

“ She is an only child, like your own little 
maid / 7 he said to Mrs. Carew, “ and I am glad 
they are to be friends.” 

They all walked down the slope with him, 
and watched him striding off along the rough 
path. 

“ He’s going to fetch me some rock-candy,” 
said Esther as they turned back to the house. 

Mrs. Carew stopped at the mill, and the two 
little girls went back to the house. 

“ We’ll make the maple candy now, shan’t 


OF TICONDEROGA 


21 


we ? ” said Esther, as they reached the kitchen 
door. “ See, the kettle is all clean, and I know 
where the molasses jug is,” and before Faith 
could remind her that she had not yet asked 
permission, Esther was dragging the heavy jug 
from the pantry. 

“ Oh, look out, Esther. You'll spill it,” cau- 
tioned Faith, running to help her. 

“ No, I won't. Here, help me turn it into the 
kettle and get it over the fire before your mother 
comes back,” urged Esther, and the two girls 
lifted the jug and turned the maple syrup into 
the kettle. “ There, that will make a lot of 
candy,” said Esther. “ You stir up the fire and 
put on more wood.” 

Faith obeyed. She hardly knew what else 
she could do, although she was sure that her 
mother would not want them to use all the 
syrup for candy. As she piled on the wood, she 
heard a scrambling noise at the door, and a 
sudden scream from Esther : “ Faith ! Faith ! 
A bear I A bear ! ” and looking over her 
shoulder she saw a big brown bear coming in 
through the kitchen door. 


CHAPTER II 


FAITH MAKES A PROMISE 

For a second Faith was too frightened to 
move. Then pulling one of the newly kindled 
sticks from the fire she hurled it at the big 
creature and ran for the stairs, up which Esther 
was already hurrying. 

The flaming brand halted the bear for a second 
only, but the little girls had reached the upper 
floor before he was well into the kitchen, and, 
sniffing the molasses, he turned toward the 
empty jug and the full kettle. 

“What shall we do? What shall we do?” 
sobbed Esther. “ He will come up here and eat 
us. I know he will.” 

“ We must get out of the window and run to 
the mill,” whispered Faith. “ We mustn't wait 
a minute, for mother dear may be on her way 
to the house. Come,” and she pushed Esther 
before her toward the window. “ Here, just 
take hold and swing yourself down,” she said. 

“ I can't, oh, I can't,” sobbed Esther. 

22 


OF TICONDEROGA 


23 

“ You must. I’ll go first, then ; ” and in a 
moment Faith was swinging from the window- 
sill, had dropped to the ground, and was speed- 
ing down the path to the mill, while Esther, 
frightened and helpless, leaned out screaming at 
the top of her voice. 

Mrs. Carew was just leaving the mill when 
she saw Faith racing toward her. “ A bear ! 
A bear in our kitchen,” she called. 

“ Hugh ! ” called Mrs. Carew, and Mr. Carew 
came running from the mill to hear the story. 

“ It's lucky I keep a musket at the mill,” he 
said. “ Here, you take Faith into the mill and 
fasten the door on the inside. I'll attend to the 
bear,” and he was off, racing toward the house, 
while Mrs. Carew hurried Faith into the mill 
and shut the heavy door. 

“ I do hope Esther will stay in the chamber 
until your father gets there,” said Mrs. Carew 
anxiously. “ I do not believe the bear will 
venture up the stairs.” 

“ He was after the syrup,” said Faith, “ and 
if he tried the stairs Esther could drop out of 
the window.” 

It was not long before they heard the loud re- 
port of the musket. 


24 A LITTLE MAID 

“ Mayn’t we open the door now, mother dear ? ” 
asked Faith. 

“ Not yet, Faithie. We’ll wait a little,” and 
Faith realized that her mother’s arm trembled 
as she drew the girl to her side. 

There was silence for what seemed a very 
long time to Mrs. Carew and Faith, and 
then they heard Mr. Carew calling : “ All 
right, open the door. Here is Esther safe and 
sound.” 

Esther, sobbing and trembling, clung to Mrs. 
Carew, and Faith held tight to her father’s hand 
while he told the story. The bear, with his 
nose in the kettle of syrup, had not even heard 
Mr. Carew’s approach, and had been an easy 
mark. 

“ You’ll find your kitchen in a sad state, 
Lucy,” said Mr. Carew, as he finished. “ I 
have dragged the bear outside, and he will fur- 
nish us some fine steaks, and a good skin for a 
rug ; but your kettle of syrup is all over the 
floor.” 

“Kettle of syrup?” questioned Mrs. Carew. 
“ Why, there was no kettle of syrup.” Neither 
of the little girls offered any explanation. Mr. 
Carew looked about the clearing to see if any 


OF TICONDEROGA 


25 

other bear was in the neighborhood, but it was 
evident that the creature had come alone. 

“ Tis not often they are so bold,” said Mr. 
Carew, as they neared the cabin, “ although last 
year an old bear and two cubs came down by 
the mill, but they were off before I could get a 
shot at them.” 

Mrs. Carew looked about her kitchen with a 
little feeling of dismay. The kettle had been 
overturned, and what syrup the bear had not 
eaten was smeared over the hearth and floor. 
The little rocking-chair was tipped over and 
broken, and everything was in disorder. 

Esther looked into the kitchen, but Mrs. 
Carew cautioned her not to enter. “ You and 
Faith go to the front door and go into the sit- 
ting-room,” she said. “ There is nothing that 
either of you can do to help ; ” so Faith led the 
way and pushed open the heavy door which led 
directly into a big comfortable room. The lower 
floor of the cabin was divided into two rooms, 
the sitting-room and kitchen, and over these 
were two comfortable chambers. The stairs led 
up from the kitchen. 

Faith thought the sitting-room a very fine 
place. There was a big fireplace on one side of 


26 


A LITTLE MAID 


the room, and the walls were ceiled, or paneled, 
with pine boards. On one side of the fireplace 
was a broad wooden settle, covered with a num- 
ber of fur robes, and several big cushions. Be- 
tween the two front windows stood a table of 
dark wood, and on the table were two tall brass 
candlesticks. A small narrow gilt-framed mirror 
hung over the table. 

There were several strongly-made comfortable 
wooden chairs with cushions. The floor was of 
pine, like the ceiled walls, and was now a golden 
brown in color. There were several bearskin 
rugs on the floor, for Mr. Carew, like all the 
men of the “ Wilderness,” was a hunter ; and 
when not busy in his mill or garden was off in 
the woods after deer, or wild partridge, or larger 
game, as these fine skins proved. 

“ What a funny room/' exclaimed Esther, with 
a little giggle. “ Our sitting-room has beautiful 
paper on the walls, and we have pictures, and a 
fine carpet on the floor. What are you going to 
tell your mother about that maple syrup? ” she 
concluded sharply. 

“ I don’t know,” responded Faith. 

“ Well, don’t tell her anything,” suggested 
Esther. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


27 

“ I guess that I shall have to tell her,” said 
Faith. 

“ You mean about me ? That I teased you to 
make candy ? Well, if you do that I’ll get my 
father to take me home with him instead of 
staying until he comes next month,” declared 
Esther. 

“ I shan't tell anything about you,” answered 
Faith. 

Esther looked at her a little doubtfully. 

“ Of course I shan't,” repeated Faith. “ You 
are my company. No matter what you did I 
wouldn't talk about it. Why, even the Indians 
treat visitors politely, and give them the best 
they have, and that's what I shall do,” and 
Faith stood very straight and looked at Esther 
very seriously. 

“ Truly ? Truly ? What is the ‘ best ' you 
have ? And when will you give it to me ? ” de- 
manded Esther, coming close to her and clasping 
her arm. “ Is it beads? Oh! I do hope it is 
beads ! And you can’t back out after what you 
have said,” and Esther jumped up and down in 
delight at the thought of a possible string of fine 
beads. 

For a moment it seemed as if Faith would 


28 


A LITTLE MAID 


burst into tears. She had meant to tell Esther 
that she would do her best to be kind and 
polite to her because Esther was a guest, and 
now Esther was demanding that Faith should 
do exactly as she had promised and give her 
“ the best she had.” And it happened that 
Faith’s dearest possession was a string of fine 
beads. Aunt Priscilla Scott, who lived in Ti- 
conderoga, had brought them as a gift on her 
last visit. They were beautiful blue beads, — 
like the sky on a June day, — and Faith wore 
them only on Sundays. They were in a pretty 
little wooden box in the sitting-room closet. 

Suddenly Esther let go of Faith’s arm. “ I 
knew you didn’t mean it,” she said scornfully. 

Faith made no reply. She walked across the 
room and ’pushed a brass knob set in one of 
the panels. The panel opened, and there was 
a closet. The little wooden box that held the 
beads was on the middle shelf. Faith took it 
up, closed the door, and turned toward Esther. 

“ Here I This is the best thing I have in all 
the world, the prettiest and the dearest. And 
it is beads. Take them,” and she thrust the 
box into Esther’s eager hands and ran out of 
the room. She forgot the dead bear, the wasted 


OF TICONDEROGA 


29 

syrup, the danger and fright of so short a 
time ago ; all she could think of was to get 
away from Esther Eldridge. 

She ran across the clearing and along a nar- 
row path that circled behind the mill into the 
woods. She ran on and on until she could no 
longer hear the sound of the brook, and the 
path began to grow rocky and difficult. Then, 
tired and almost breathless, Faith sat down on 
a big rock and looked about her. For a few 
moments she could think of nothing but her 
lost beads, and of the disagreeable visitor. 
Then gradually she realized that she had never 
before been so far along this rough path. All 
about her rose huge, towering pines. Looking 
ahead the path seemed to end in a dense thicket. 
She heard the rustle of some little forest animal 
as it moved through the vines behind her, and 
the call of birds near at hand. Faith began to 
recall the happenings of the morning : the ex- 
citement of Esther's arrival, the sudden appear- 
ance of the bear in the kitchen doorway, her 
terror lest her mother should come before she 
could be warned ; and then, again, Esther and 
the loss of her beads. She began to cry. She 
felt very tired and unhappy. She felt Esther 


A LITTLE MAID 


3 ° 

was to blame for everything, even for the ap- 
pearance of the bear. Never before had a bear 
dared come to the house. Faith leaned back 
against a friendly tree with a tired little sigh. 
She would rest, and then go home, she thought, 
and closed her eyes. 

When she awoke, she thought she must still 
be dreaming ; for, standing a little way down 
the path, was a tall man leaning on a musket. 
He wore a flannel blouse, and his homespun 
trousers were tucked into high leathern gaiters. 

The man smiled and nodded. “ Do not be 
frightened, little maid,” he said in a friendly 
voice. “ I did not want to leave you here in 
the woods until I was sure that you could make 
your way home. Are you Miller Carew’s little 
girl?” 

“ Yes, sir,” answered Faith, wondering who 
this tall, dark-eyed man, who knew her father, 
could be, and then adding, “ My name is 
Faith.” 

The tall man smiled again, and took off his 
leather cap. 

“ My name is Ethan Allen,” he responded ; 
“ it may be that you have heard your father 
speak of me.” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


3 1 

“ Yes, sir ! You are a Green Mountain Boy ; 
and you help the settlers to keep their ‘ Grants/ ” 
Faith replied quickly ; for she had often heard 
her father and mother speak of the trouble the 
settlers were having to prove their titles to land 
taken under the “ New Hampshire Grants,” 
and she remembered hearing her father say that 
Ethan Allen would help any man defend his 
rights. She wished that she could tell him 
all about Esther Eldridge and the blue beads, 
but she remembered her promise. “ I guess 
there are times when people don’t have any 
rights,” she decided, and was quite unconscious 
that she had spoken aloud until she heard her 
companion say very clearly : 

“ There can never be such a time as that. 
People would be slaves indeed not to uphold 
their just and rightful claims. But why is 
a small maid like yourself troubling about 
1 rights ’ ? ” 

“I have company at my house ” began 

Faith. 

“ I see, I see ! ” interrupted Colonel Allen. 
“ Of course you have to let the guest do what- 
ever she pleases,” and he smiled and nodded, 
as if he understood all about it. “And now 


A LITTLE MAID 


3 2 

we had best start toward your father's mill, 
for it is well toward sunset." 

“ Sunset? Have I slept all the afternoon ! " 
exclaimed Faith, jumping up. 

As they walked down the path Ethan Allen 
asked Faith many questions about the people 
who came along the trail from the settlements 
on their way to Lake Champlain. 

When they reached the clearing where the 
mill stood Faith's father and mother came run- 
ning to meet them. They welcomed Mr. Allen, 
and said that they had been sadly worried 
about Faith. “But where is Esther?" asked 
Mrs. Carew. “ Is she not with you, Faith ? " 

“ I left her in the sitting-room, hours ago ! " 
answered the little girl. 


CHAPTER III 


MOEE MISCHIEF 

“ 1 Hours ago/ ” repeated Mrs. Carew. “ Why, 
dear child, it is only an hour since Esther came 
up from the mill with the dishes.” 

Faith looked so bewildered that her mother 
exclaimed : “ Why, child ! Have you forgotten 
that you and Esther had your dinner at the 
mill ? ” 

“ But I did not have any dinner,” declared 
Faith. “ It was not dinner time when I ran 

off and left Esther in the sitting-room. I ” 

and then Faith stopped suddenly. She resolved 
that she would not tell her mother that she had 
given Esther the blue beads, — not until Esther 
was found. 

“ Well, I declare. Esther came into the 
kitchen just as I was preparing dinner, and 
asked if you girls could not have a picnic dinner 
at the mill, and I was well pleased to let you. 
I put some cold meat and bread, a good half of 
33 


A LITTLE MAID 


34 

pumpkin pie and some of the pumpkin cakes in 
a basket, and gave her a pitcher of milk, and 
off she went. An hour ago she came in to ask 
for a lunch and I gave her a good piece of 
molasses cake. Your father was busy skinning 
the bear, and we gave but little thought to you 
children. But when I called your name, and 
found neither of you at the mill, I became 
alarmed. But where can Esther be now ? ” con- 
cluded Mrs. Carew, looking anxiously about the 
clearing. 

“ Go back to the house with Faith and give 
the child something to eat. Colonel Allen and 
I will search the mill again,” said Mr. Carew. 

“ I’m tired,” said Faith, as they reached the 
house, “ and I don’t like Esther.” 

“ Hush, Faithie. She is your guest. And 
if she has wandered into any harm or danger I 
do not know what we can say to Mr. Eldridge,” 
responded her mother; “but I do not under- 
stand about the food,” she added, half to her- 
self, wondering if Esther could really have 
eaten it all. 

I Faith looked about the kitchen. “ It looks 
just the same. Just as if the bear had not come 
in,” she said. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


35 

Mrs. Carew brought her a bowl of milk and 
a plate of corn bread, and another plate with two 
of the pumpkin cakes. 

“ I’ll run back to the mill while you eat your 
supper, Faithie, and see if Esther has been found. 
When I come back you must tell me what you 
were turning syrup into the kettle for.” 

Faith was hungry, but as she ate her bread 
and milk she felt very unhappy. She remem- 
bered her promise to Esther not to tell Mrs. 
Carew about the syrup. 

“ I don't know what I shall do,” she said 
aloud. “ I guests I’ll go and rest on the settle 
until mother dear comes,” so she opened the 
door and entered the sitting-room. As she lay 
back among the cushions of the settle she heard 
a faint noise from the further side of the room. 
“ I guess it's ‘ Bounce,' ” she thought. 

Then the noise came again: “Gr-r-r! Gr-rrr!” 
Faith sat up quickly. She wondered if another 
bear had made its way into the house. The 
big black bearskin rug in front of the table was 
moving ; it was standing up, and coming toward 
the settle. 

“ It's you, Esther Eldridge ! You can't 
frighten me,” said Faith, and Esther dropped 


A LITTLE MAID 


3 6 

the rug from her shoulders and came running 
toward the settle. Her black eyes were danc- 
ing, and she was laughing. 

“ Oh ! I’ve had the greatest fun ! I ate all 
your dinner, and I hid under that bearskin and 
your mother and father hunted everywhere for 
me. Where have you been ? ” concluded Esther, 
looking down at Faith. The little girls did not 
notice that, just as Esther began speaking, Mrs. 
Carew had opened the sitting-room door. 

“ I’ve been way off in the woods, and my 
mother has asked me to tell her about the maple 
syrup,” replied Faith accusingly. 

“ Well, Esther ! ” 

Both the girls gave an exclamation of sur- 
prise at the sound of Mrs. Carew’s voice. “ You 
may go to the mill and tell Mr. Carew that you 
are safe, and then come directly back,” she said 
a little sternly, and stood by the door until 
Esther was on her way. Then she crossed over 
to the settle and sat down beside Faith. 

“ I will not ask you about the syrup, Faithie 
dear,” she said, smoothing Faith’s ruffled hair. 
“ And you had best go up-stairs to bed. I will 
have a talk with Esther, and then she will go to 
bed. It has been a difficult day, has it not, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


37 

child? But to-morrow I trust everything will 
go pleasantly, without bears or trouble of any 
sort.” 

“ But Esther will be here,” said Faith. 

“ Never mind ; I think Esther has made mis- 
chief enough to-day to last all her visit,” re- 
sponded Mrs. Carew ; and Faith, very tired, and 
greatly comforted, went up to her pleasant 
chamber which Esther was to share. She won- 
dered to herself just what her mother would say 
to Esther. But she did not stay long awake, 
and when Esther came up-stairs shortly after, 
very quietly, and feeling rather ashamed of her- 
self after listening to Mrs. Carew, Faith was fast 
asleep. 

But Esther did not go to sleep. She wondered 
to herself what her father would say if Mrs. 
Carew told him of her mischief, and began to 
wish that she had not deceived Mrs. Carew 
about the dinner. She could feel her face flush 
in the darkness when she remembered what 
Mrs. Carew had said to her about truthfulness. 
Esther's head ached, and she felt as if she was 
going to be ill. Down-stairs she could hear the 
murmur of voices. Ethan Allen would sleep 
on the settle, and be off at an early hour the 


A LITTLE MAID 


38 

next morning. It seemed a long time before 
the voices ceased, and she heard Mr. and Mrs. 
Carew come up the stairs. Esther began to 
wish that she had not eaten the fine pumpkin 
pie and all the cakes. It was nearly morning 
before she fell asleep, and she was awake when 
Faith first opened her eyes. 

“ It’s time to get up. It always is the minute 
I wake up,” said Faith sleepily. 

Esther answered with a sudden moan : “ I 
can’t get up. I’m sick,” she whispered. 

Faith sat up in bed and looked at Esther a 
little doubtfully. But Esther’s flushed face and 
the dark shadows under her eyes proved that 
she spoke the truth. 

“ I’ll tell mother. Don’t cry, Esther. Mother 
will make you well before you know it,” said 
Faith, quickly slipping out of bed and running 
into the little passage at the head of the stairs. 

In a few moments Mrs. Carew was standing 
beside the bed. She said to herself that she did 
not wonder that Esther was ill. But while 
Faith dressed and got ready for breakfast Mrs. 
Carew smoothed out the tumbled bed, freshened 
the pillows and comforted their little visitor. 

“ Run down and eat your porridge, Faithie, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


39 

and then come back and sit with Esther/’ said 
Mrs. Carew. 

When Faith returned Mrs. Carew went down 
and brewed some bitter herbs and brought the 
tea for Esther to drink. The little girl swallowed 
the unpleasant drink, and shortly after was 
sound asleep. She had not awakened at dinner 
time, and Mrs. Carew was sure that she would 
sleep off her illness. 

“ The child must be taught not to crave sweet 
foods,” she said, as she told Faith to run down 
to the mill and amuse herself as she pleased. 
“Only don’t go out of sight of the mill, Faithie,” 
she cautioned, and Faith promised and ran 
happily off down the path. She was eager to 
ask her father about Mr. Ethan Allen. 

Mr. Carew was busy grinding wheat. There 
were few mills in the Wilderness, and nearly 
every day until midwinter settlers were coming 
and going from the mill, bringing bags of wheat 
or corn on horseback over the rough trail and 
carrying back flour or meal. When Mr. Carew 
had tied up the bag of meal and his customer 
had ridden away, he came to where Faith was 
sitting close by the open door and sat down be- 
side her. 


40 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Why do you call Mr. Allen a * Green Moun- 
tain Boy ' ? ” asked the little girl, after she had 
answered his questions about Esther ; “ he is a 
big man.” 

Mr. Carew smiled down at Faith's eager face, 
and then pointed to the green wooded hills 
beyond the clearing. “ It’s because he, and 
other men of these parts, are like those green 
hills, — strong, and sufficient to themselves,” he 
answered. “ Every settler in the Wilderness 
knows that Ethan Allen will help them protect 
their homes ; and no man knows this part of the 
country better than Colonel Allen.” 

“ Why do you call him 1 Colonel ' ? ” asked 
Faith. 

“ Because the Bennington people have given 
him that title, and put him in command of the 
men of the town that they may be of service to 
defend it in case King George's men come over 
from New York,” replied her father ; “ but I 
do not know but the bears are as dangerous as 
the * Yorkers.' Do you think Esther will be 
quite well to-morrow ? ” concluded Mr. Carew. 

Faith was quite sure that Esther would soon 
be as well as ever. She did not want to talk 
about Esther. She wanted to hear more about 


OF TICONDEROGA 


4i 


her friend Colonel Allen. “ I heard him tell 
mother that he slept in a cave one night on his 
way here,” she said. 

“Oh, yes; he can sleep anywhere. But you 
must talk of him no more to-day, Faithie,” 
answered Mr. Carew ; “ and here is * Bounce * 
looking for you,” he added, as the little gray 
kitten jumped into Faith's lap. 


CHAPTER IV 


A NEW PLAN 

Esther was much better the next morning, 
but she was not well enough to come down- 
stairs for several days, and when her father 
appeared he agreed with Mrs. Carew that the 
little girl was not fit to undertake the journey 
on horseback along the rough trail to Brandon. 

Mrs. Carew was able to assure him, however, 
that he need not be anxious about his little 
daughter, and he decided to go directly home, 
leaving Esther to regain health and strength in 
Mrs. Carew’s charge. 

“ I will come for you the first Monday in 
October, three weeks from to-day,” he told 
Esther, “ and you must mind Mrs. Carew in 
everything she bids you.” 

Esther promised tearfully. She did not want 
to stay, but she resolved to herself, as she watched 
her father ride away, that she would do every- 
thing possible to please Mrs. Carew and make 
42 


OF TICONDEROGA 


43 

friends with Faith. She could hardly bear to 
think of the first day of her visit. 

As she lay on the settle comfortably bolstered 
up with the soft pillows, and a little fire crack- 
ling on the hearth, Esther looked about the 
sitting-room and began to think it a very pleas- 
ant place. Faith brought all her treasures to 
entertain her little visitor. Chief of these was a 
fine book called “ Pilgrim’s Progress,” with many 
pictures. There was a doll, — one that Faith’s 
Aunt Priscilla had brought her from New York. 
This doll was a very wonderful creature. She 
wore a blue flounced satin dress, and the dress 
had real buttons, buttons of gilt ; and the doll 
wore a beautiful bonnet. 

Faith watched Esther a little anxiously as she 
allowed her to take Lady Amy, as the doll was 
named. But Esther was as careful as Faith her- 
self, and declared that she did not believe any 
little girl that side of Bennington had such a 
beautiful doll. 

“ 1 think your Aunt Priscilla is the best aunt 
that ever was. She gave you this lovely doll, 
and your blue beads ” Esther stopped sud- 

denly. She had lost the beads, and she did not 
want to tell Faith. She had resolved to hunt 


A LITTLE MAID 


44 

for them ag soon as possible, and give them 
back. She was sure she could find them when 
she could run about again. 

Faith did not look at Esther. She wished 
Esther had not reminded her of the beads. But 
Esther had been so grateful for everything that 
Mrs. Carew and Faith did for her that they had 
almost forgotten her mischief, and were begin- 
ning to like their little visitor. 

“ Yes, my Aunt Prissy is lovely,” said Faith. 
“ She is a young aunt. Her hair is yellow and 
her eyes are blue ; she can run as fast as I can,” 
and Faith smiled, remembering the good times 
she always had when Aunt Prissy came for a 
visit to the log cabin. “ When I go to visit her 
I shall see the fort where the English soldiers 
are,” she added. 

“ Colonel Ethan Allen could take the fort 
away from them if he wanted to ; my father said 
so,” boasted Esther ; and Faith w r as quite ready 
to agree to this, for it seemed to her that the tall, 
dark-eyed colonel could accomplish almost any- 
thing. 

“ How would you and Faithie like to have 
your supper here by the fire ? ” asked Mrs. 
Carew, coming in from the kitchen. “ Faith 


OF TICONDEROGA 


45 

can bring in the light stand and use her own 
set of dishes. And I will make you a fine dish 
of cream toast . ' 

Both the little girls were delighted at the 
plan. And Faith ran to the kitchen and, with 
her mother’s help, brought in the stand and put 
it down in front of the settle. She spread a 
white cloth over it, and then turned to the 
closet, from which she had taken the blue 
beads, and brought out her treasured tea-set. 
There was a round-bodied, squatty teapot with 
a high handle, a small pitcher, a round sugar- 
bowl, two cups and saucers, and two plates. The 
dishes were of delicate cream-tinted china cov- 
ered with crimson roses and delicate buds and 
faint green leaves. 

One by one Faith brought these treasures to 
the little table, smiling with delight at Esther’s 
exclamations of admiration. 

“ My grandmother who lives in Connecticut 
sent me these for my last birthday present,” said 
Faith. “ My Grandmother Carew, whom I have 
never seen. And they came from across the big 
salt ocean, from England.” 

“ To think that a little girl in a log cabin 
should have such lovely things ! ” exclaimed 


A LITTLE MAID 


46 

Esther. “ I have a silver mug with my name 
on it,” she added. 

Mrs. Carew brought them in the fine dish of 
cream toast, and filled the china teapot with 
milk so they could play that it was a real tea- 
party. There were baked apples to eat with the 
toast, and although Esther longed for cake she 
did not speak of it, and, bolstered up with cush- 
ions, and Faith sitting in a high-backed chair 
facing her, she began really to enjoy herself. 

“ My father made this little table,” said Faith, 
helping Esther to a second cup of “ tea,” “ and 
he made these chairs and the settle. He came up 
here with Mr. Stanley years ago, and cut down 
trees and built this house and the barn and the 
mill ; then he went way back where my grand- 
mother lives and brought my mother here. Some 
day I am to go to Connecticut and go to school.” 

“ Why don’t you come to Brandon and go to 
school ? ” suggested Esther. “ Oh, do ! Faith, 
ask your mother to let you go home with me 
and go to school this winter. That would be 
splendid ! ” And Esther sat up so quickly that 
she nearly tipped over her cup and saucer. 

“ I guess I couldn’t,” replied Faith. “ My 
mother would be lonesome.” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


47 

But Esther thought it would be a fine idea ; 
and while Faith carried the dishes to the 
kitchen, washed them with the greatest care, 
and replaced them on the closet shelf, Esther 
talked of all the attractions of living in a village 
and going to school with other little girls. 

“ I feel as well as ever,” declared Esther as 
the two little girls went to bed that night ; “ but 
I do wish your mother thought sweet things 
would be good for me. At home I have all I 
want.” 

“ Mother says that is the reason you are not 
well,” answered Faith. “ Hear the brook, 
Esther ! Doesn’t it sound as if it was saying, 
1 Hurry to bed ! Hurry to bed I ’ And in the 
morning it is ‘ Time to get up ! Time to get up ! ’ ” 

“ You are the queerest girl I ever knew. The 
idea that a brook could say anything,” replied 
Esther ; but her tone was friendly. “ I suppose 
it’s because you live way off here in the woods. 
Now if you lived in a village ” 

“ I don’t want to live in a village if it will 
stop my hearing what the brook says. And I 
can tell you what the robins say to the young 
robins ; and what little foxes tell their mothers ; 
and I know how the beavers build their homes 


A LITTLE MAID 


48 

under water,” declared Faith, with a little laugh 
at Esther’s puzzled expression. 

“ Tell me about the beavers,” said Esther, as 
they snuggled down in the big feather-bed. 

“ Every house a beaver builds has two doors,” 
began Faith, “ and it has an up-stairs and down- 
stairs. One of the doors to the beaver’s house 
opens on the land side, so that they can get out 
and get their dinners ; and the other opens 
under the water — way down deep, below where 
ice freezes.” 

“ How do you know ? ” questioned Esther, a 
little doubtfully. 

“ Father told me. And I have seen their 
houses over in the mill meadow, where the 
brook is as wide as this whole clearing.” 

Before Faith had finished her story of how 
beavers could cut down trees with their sharp 
teeth, and of the dams they built across streams, 
Esther was fast asleep. 

Faith lay awake thinking over all that Esther 
had said about school ; about seeing little girls 
and boys of her own age, and of games and 
parties. Then with a little sigh of content she 
whispered to herself : “ I guess I’d be lonesome 
without father and mother and the brook.” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


49 

Mrs. Carew had heard Esther’s suggestion 
about Faith going to Brandon to go to school, 
and after the little girls had gone to bed she 
spoke of it to Faith’s father, as they sat together 
before the fire. 

4i Perhaps we ought to send Faithie where she 
could go to school and be with other children,” 
said Mr. Carew, “ but I hardly know how we 
could spare her.” 

There was a little silence, for the father and 
mother knew that their pleasant home on the 
slope of the hillside would be a very different 
place without their little maid. 

“But of course we would not think of 
Brandon,” continued Faith’s father. “ If we 
must let her go, why, her Aunt Priscilla will 
give her a warm welcome and take good care of 
the child ; and the school at Ticonderoga is 
doubtless a good one.” 

“ Esther seems sorry for her mischief, but I 
should not wish Faith to be with her so far 
from home. Perhaps we had best send some 
word to Priscilla by the next traveler who goes 
that way, and ask her if Faith may go to her 
for the winter months,” said Mrs. Carew. 

So, while Faith described the beaver’s home to 


A LITTLE MAID 


5 ° 

the sleepy Esther, it was settled that as soon as 
it could be arranged she should go to stay with 
her Aunt Priscilla in the village of Ticonderoga, 
across Lake Champlain, and go to school. 

“ If ’twere not that some stray Indians might 
happen along and make a bonfire of our house 
and mill we might plan for a month’s visit our- 
selves,” said Mr. Carew. 

“ We must not think of it,” responded his 
wife. For the log cabin home was very dear to 
her, and at that time the Indians, often incited 
by the British in command of the forts at Ti- 
conderoga and Crown Point, burned the homes 
of settlers who held their land through grants 
given by the New Hampshire government. 

“ More settlers are coming into this region 
every year. We shall soon have neighbors near 
at hand, and can have a school and church,” 
said Mr. Carew hopefully. “ Colonel Allen is 
not journeying through the wilderness for pleas- 
ure. He has some plan in mind to make this 
region more secure for all of us. Well, tell 
Faithie, if she has aught to say of going to 
Brandon, that she is soon to visit Aunt Priscilla. 
I doubt not ’twill be best for the child.” 


CHAPTER V 


KASHAQUA 

Esther did not find the blue beads ; and 
when her father came for her she had not said a 
word to Faith about them. 

Mr. Eldridge found his little daughter fully 
recovered from her illness, and in better health 
than when she came to the Wilderness. When 
she said good-bye Faith was really sorry to have 
her go, but she wondered a little that Esther 
made no mention of the beads, for Esther had 
been a model visitor since her illness. She had 
told Mrs. Carew the full story of the attempt to 
make maple candy, which the bear had inter- 
rupted, and she had claimed the pumpkin-shell 
work-box with evident delight. All these 
things had made Faith confident that Esther 
would return the beads before starting for home, 
and she was sadly disappointed to have Esther 
depart without a word about them. 

Esther had asked Mrs. Carew if Faith might 
not go to Brandon, and so Mrs. Carew had told 
51 


A LITTLE MAID 


52 

the little girls of the plan for Faith to go to her 
Aunt Priscilla in Ticonderoga for the winter and 
attend school there. 

“ Oh ! But that’s New York. Why, the 
1 Yorkers 7 want to take all the Wilderness. I 
shouldn’t want to go to school with * Yorkers,’ ” 
Esther had responded, a little scornfully. 

For she had often heard her father and his 
friends talk of the attempts made by the English 
officials of New York to drive the settlers on 
the New Hampshire Grants from their homes. 

“ ’Tis not the people of New York who would 
do us harm,” Mrs. Carew had answered. “ And 
Faith will make friends, I hope, with many of 
her schoolmates.” 

It was a beautiful October morning when 
Esther, seated in front of her father on the big 
gray horse, with the pumpkin-shell work-box 
wrapped in a safe bundle swinging from the front 
of the saddle, started for Brandon. Their way 
for most of the journey led over a rough trail. 
They would pass near the homes of many set- 
tlers, then over the lower slopes of Mooselamoo 
Mountain, and skirt Lake Dunmore, and would 
then find themselves on a smoother road for the 
remainder of their journey. 



THE LITTLE GIRLS SAID GOODBYE 




OF TICONDEROGA 


53 

Faith walked beside the travelers to the edge 
of the wood and then the two little girls said 
good-bye. 

“ I'll come again in the spring,” Esther called 
back. 

Faith stood watching them until the branches 
of the trees hid them from sight. The maples 
seemed to be waving banners of scarlet leaves, 
and the slopes of the Green Mountains were 
beautiful in the glory of autumn foliage. 
The sun shone brightly, the sky was as blue as 
summer, and as Faith turned to run swiftly 
along the path to the mill she almost wished 
that she too was starting for a day's journey 
through the woods. The path ran along beside 
the mill-stream. 

It seemed to Faith that the brook was travel- 
ing beside her like a gay companion, sing- 
ing as it went. The little girl had had so few 
companions, none except an occasional visitor, 
that she had made friends with the birds and 
small woodland animals, and found companion- 
ship in the rippling music of the stream. There 
was a fine family of yellow-hammers just below 
the mill that Faith often visited, and she was 
sure that they knew her quite well. She had 


A LITTLE MAID 


54 

watched them build their nest in the early 
spring ; had seen them bring food to the young 
birds, and had sat close by the nest while the 
young birds made their first efforts to fly. She 
knew where a fine silver-coated fox made its 
home on the rocky hillside beyond the garden- 
slope, and had told her father that “ Silver-nose, ” 
as she had named the fox, knew that she was his 
friend, and would lie quite still at the entrance 
to its hole, while she would sit on a big rock 
not far distant. 

But Faith was not thinking of these woodland 
friends as she ran along toward the mill ; she 
was thinking of what she had heard her father 
say to Mr. Eldridge that morning. “ Tell Colo- 
nel Allen the men of the Wilderness will be 
ready whenever he gives the word/’ Mr. Carew 
had said ; and Mr. Eldridge had answered that 
it ^would not be long. Faith wondered what 
her father had meant, and if Colonel Allen 
would again visit the mill. She hoped he 
would, for he had seemed to know all about 
the woodland creatures, and had told Faith a 
wonderful story about the different months of 
the year. She thought of it now as she felt 
the warmth of the October sunshine. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


55 

“ October is stirring the fire now,” she called 
to her father, who was watching her from the 
door of the mill. 

“ What do you mean by that, child ? ” asked 
her father, smiling down at Faith's tanned face 
and bright eyes. 

“ Tis what Colonel Allen told me about the 
months. All twelve, every one of the year, sit 
about the fire. And now and then one of them 
stirs the fire, and that makes all the world 
warmer. July and August, when it is their 
turn, make it blaze ; but the other months do 
not care so much about it. But once in a while 
each month takes its turn,” answered Faith. 
“ That's what Colonel Allen told me.” 

“ 'Tis a good story,” said Mr. Carew. 
“ Did your mother tell you that I have sent 
word to your Aunt Priseilla about your 
going to her house as soon as some trust- 
worthy traveler going to Ticonderoga passes 
this way ? ” 

“ Yes, father. But I am learning a good deal 
at home. Mother says I read as well as she did 
when she was my age. And I can figure in frac- 
tions, and write neatly. I do not care much 
about school,” answered Faith ; for to be away 


A LITTLE MAID 


5 6 

from her mother and father all winter began 
to seem too great an undertaking. 

“ Yes, indeed ; your mother tells me you 
learn quickly. But ’tis best for you to become 
acquainted with children of your own age. 
And you have never seen your cousins. Three 
boy cousins. Think of that. Why, your Aunt 
Prissy says that Donald is nearly as tall as you 
are ; and he is but eight years old. And Hugh 
is six, and Philip four. Then there are neigh- 
bor children close at hand. You will play 
games, and have parties, and enjoy every day ; 
besides going to school,” responded her father 
encouragingly. 

Then he told her of his own pleasant school 
days in the far-off Connecticut village where 
Grandmother Carew lived ; and when Mrs. Ca- 
rew called them to dinner Faith had begun to 
think that it would really be a fine thing to 
live with Aunt Priscilla and become acquainted 
with her little cousins, and all the pleasant, 
well-behaved children that her father described, 
with whom she would go to school and play 
games. 

“ It is nearly time for Kashaqua’s yearly 
visit,” said Mrs. Carew. “ I have knit a scarf 


OF TICONDEROGA 


57 

for her of crimson yarn. She generally comes 
before cold weather. Don’t let her see your 
blue beads, Faith.” 

Faith did not make any answer. Kashaqua 
was an Indian woman who had appeared at the 
cabin every fall and spring ever since the Ca- 
rews had settled there. When Faith was a 
tiny baby she had come, bringing a fine beaver 
skin as a gift for the little girl. She always 
came alone, and the family looked upon her as 
a friend, and always made a little feast for her, 
and sent her on her way laden with gifts. Not 
all the Indians of the Wilderness were friendly 
to settlers; and the Carews were glad to feel 
that Kashaqua was well disposed toward them. 
She often brought gifts of baskets, or of bright 
feathers or fine moccasins for Faith. 

“ I hope she will come before I go to Aunt 
Prissy’s,” said Faith. “ I like Kashaqua.” 

“ Kashaqua likes little girl.” 

Even Mr. Carew jumped at these words and 
the sudden appearance of the Indian woman 
standing just inside the kitchen door. She 
seemed pleased by their warm welcome, and sat 
down before the fire, while Faith hastened to 
bring her a good share of their simple dinner. 


A LITTLE MAID 


58 

Faith sat down on the floor beside her, greatly 
to Kashaqua’s satisfaction, and told her about 
Esther Eldridge’s visit, about the bear coming 
into the kitchen, and of how she had jumped 
from the window and run to the mill to tell her 
father. Kashaqua grunted her approval now 
and then. 

“ And what do you think, Kashaqua ! I am 
to go to my Aunt Priscilla Scott, to Ticonderoga, 
and stay all winter,” she concluded. 

“ Ticonderoga ? When ? ” questioned Kasha- 
qua, dipping a piece of corn bread in the dish 
of maple syrup. 

“ I am to go just as soon as some one goes over 
the trail who will take me,” answered Faith. 

“ I take you. I go to Ticonderoga to-morrow. 
I take you,” said Kashaqua. 


CHAPTER VI 


THE JOURNEY 

“ Mother dear, mother dear ! Did you hear 
what Kashaqua says : that she will take me to 
Aunt Prissy's to-morrow?" said Faith. 

The Indian woman had turned quickly, and 
her sharp little eyes were fixed on Mrs. Carew's 
face. 

“ You Traid let leettle girl go with Kasha- 
qua ? ” she said, a little accusing note in her voice. 

“ No, indeed. Kashaqua would take good care 

of Faith. I know that. But to-morrow ” 

Mrs. Carew spoke bravely, but both Faith's 
father and mother were sadly troubled. To 
offend the Indian woman would mean to make 
enemies of the tribe to which she belonged ; and 
then neither their lives nor their property would 
be safe ; and she would never forgive them if 
they doubted her by refusing to let Faith make 
the journey to Ticonderoga in her care. 

It was Faith who came to the rescue by 
declaring: “Oh, I'd rather go with Kashaqua 
59 


6o 


A LITTLE MAID 


than anybody. Mother dear, you said Aunt 
Prissy would see about my shoes and dresses. 
I don’t have to wait to get ready,” and Faith 
ran to her mother eager for her consent, think- 
ing it would be a fine thing to go on a day’s 
journey through the woods with the Indian 
woman, and quite forgetting for the moment 
that it meant a long absence from home. 

Nothing could have pleased Kashaqua more 
than Faith’s pleading. The half-angry expres- 
sion faded from her face, and she nodded and 
smiled, grunting her satisfaction, and taking 
from one of her baskets a pair of fine doeskin 
moccasins, which she gave to Faith. “ Present,” 
she said briefly. 

“ They are the prettiest pair I ever had ! ” 
said Faith, looking admiringly at their fringed 
tops, and the pattern of a vine that ran from 
the toes to insteps, stitched in with thread-like 
crimson and blue thongs. 

“ It is a fine chance for Faith to go to her 
Aunt Priscilla,” said Mr. Carew. “ Do you know 
where Philip Scott lives, across Champlain ? ” 

“ Me know. Not great ways from Fort,” 
responded Kashaqua. “ Me take little girl safe 
to Scott’s wigwam.” a 


OF TICONDEROGA 


61 

“ That’s right, Kashaqua,” said Mr. Carew. 

“ Then me come back to mill and get meal 
an’ get pie,” said Kashaqua. 

“ Of course. I will make you the finest pie 
you ever tasted,” said Mrs. Carew, with a little 
sigh of relief. For she had wondered how long 
it would be before they could get news that 
Kashaqua had kept her promise, and that Faith 
had reached her aunt’s house in safety. 

In the surprise and excitement of this new 
decision neither Faith nor her parents had much 
time to think about their separation. Although 
Aunt Priscilla was to see that Faith was well 
provided with suitable dresses, shoes, hat, and 
all that a little girl would need to wear to school 
and to church, there was, nevertheless, a good 
deal to do to prepare and put in order such 
things as she would take with her. Beside that 
Mrs. Carew meant to give the squaw a well-filled 
luncheon basket ; so the remainder of the day 
went very quickly. Faith helped her mother, 
and talked gaily with Kashaqua of the good 
time they would have on the journey ; while 
Kashaqua smoked and nodded, evidently quite 
satisfied and happy. 

When night came the Indian woman made 


62 


A LITTLE MAID 

her preparations to sleep before the kitchen fire, 
and the Carews went up-stairs to bed. The 
mother and father lay long awake that night. 
While they assured each other that Faith would 
be perfectly safe, and that the Indian woman 
would defend the little girl from all danger, 
they could not but feel an uncertainty. “ We 
can trust the strength and love that has pro- 
tected us always to go with our little maid,” 
said Mr. Carew ; “ perhaps Kashaqua is the 
safest person we could find.” 

“ We must hope so ; but I shall not draw a 
good breath until she is here again, and tells me 
Faithie is safe with Priscilla,” responded Mrs. 
Carew. 

The little household was awake at an early 
hour the next morning. Faith was to wear the 
new moccasins. She wore her usual dress of 
brown homespun linen. Faith had never had 
a hat, or a pair of leather shoes, and only the 
simplest of linen and wool dresses. She had 
never before been away from home, except for a 
day’s visit at the house of some neighboring 
settler. She knew that when she got to Aunt 
Prissy’s she would have a hat, probably like the 
one Esther Eldridge had worn, ribbons to tie 


OF TICONDEROGA 63 

back her yellow curls, shining leather shoes, 
and many things that she had never before 
seen. She had thought a good deal about these 
things when planning for the journey, but now 
that the time was so near when she must say 
good-bye to her mother and father she forgot all 
about the good times in store, and wished with 
all her heart that she were not going. 

“ Don't let Kashaqua see you cry, child," her 
father whispered, seeing Faith's sad face ; so she 
resolutely kept back her tears. 

Breakfast was soon over. Kashaqua had 
stowed Faith's bundle of clothing in one of her 
baskets and swung it over her shoulder. The 
basket of luncheon also was secured by stout 
thongs and hung across her back, and they were 
ready to start. 

“ Be a good child, Faithie, dear," whispered 
Mrs. Carew. 

“ I'll fetch you home when it is April's turn 
to stir the fire," said her father smilingly, and 
Faith managed to smile back, and to say good- 
bye bravely, as she trudged down the path hold- 
ing tight to Kashaqua's brown hand. 

“ I be back to-morrow night," Kashaqua 
called back, knowing that would be a word of 


A LITTLE MAID 


64 

comfort to the white woman who was letting 
her only child go from home. 

Neither Faith nor Kashaqua spoke for some 
little time. At last Faith stopped suddenly and 
stood still, evidently listening. “ I can't hear 
the brook," she said. 

Kashaqua nodded, and the two walked on 
through the autumn woods. But now Kasha- 
qua began to talk. She told Faith stories of the 
wild animals of the woods ; of the traps she set 
along the streams to catch the martens and 
otters ; and of a bear cub that the children of 
her village had tamed. But it had disappeared 
during the summer. 

“ The papooses catch birds and feed them," 
she continued, “ tame birds so they know their 
name, and come right to wigwam." Faith lis- 
tened eagerly, and began to think that an Indian 
village must be a very pleasant place to live. 

“ Where is your village, Kashaqua ? " she 
asked. 

“ You not know my village ? Way back 
'cross Mooselamoo," answered Kashaqua. 

“ Perhaps I can go there some time," sug- 
gested Faith. But Kashaqua shook her head. 

For several hours they walked steadily on 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 


6 S 

through the autumn woods. They climbed 
several rocky ridges, crossed brooks, and care- 
fully made their way over a swampy stretch of 
ground. Faith was very tired when Kashaqua 
finally swung the baskets and bundles from her 
shoulders and declared that it was time to eat. 

The trail had led them up a hill, and as 
Faith, with a little tired sigh, seated herself on 
a moss-covered rock, she looked about with a 
little exclamation of wonder. Close beside the 
trail was a rough shelter made of the boughs of 
spruce and fir trees, and near at hand was piled 
a quantity of wood ready for a fire. There was 
a clearing, and the rough shelter was shaded by 
two fine oak trees. 

“ Does somebody live here ? " asked Faith. 

“ Traveler's wigwam," explained Kashaqua, 
who was unpacking the lunch basket with many 
grunts of satisfaction. “ White men going down 
the trail to big road to Shoreham sleep here," 
she added, holding up a fine round molasses cake 
in one hand and a roasted chicken in the other. 

Faith was hungry as well as tired, and the two 
friends ate with good appetite. Kashaqua re- 
packed the basket with what remained of the 
food, and with a pleasant nod to Faith declared 


66 


A LITTLE MAID 


she would “ sleep a little,’' and curled herself up 
near the shelter. 

Faith looked about the rough camp, and 
peered down the trail. She decided she too 
would sleep a little, and stretched herself out 
close beside Kashaqua, thinking that it was a 
wonderful thing to be so far from home, — nearly 
in sight of Lake Champlain, Kashaqua had told 
her, with an Indian woman for her guide and 
protector ; and then her eyes closed and she was 
sound asleep. 

It seemed to Faith that she had not slept a 
minute before she awakened suddenly, and 
found that Kashaqua had disappeared. But she 
heard a queer scrambling sound behind her and 
sat up and looked around. For a moment she 
was too frightened to speak, for a brown bear 
was clawing the remainder of their luncheon 
from the basket, grunting and sniffing, as if well 
pleased with what he found. 

As Faith looked at him she was sure that this 
creature had dragged Kashaqua off into the 
woods, and that he might turn and seize her as 
soon as he had finished with the basket. 

“ Kashaqua ! Kashaqua ! ” she called hope- 
lessly. “ What shall I do ? What shall I do?” 


OF TICONDEROGA 67 

There was a rustle of leaves close behind her 
and the Indian woman darted into the clearing. 
Without a word to Faith she ran straight to 
where the bear was crouched over the basket. 
Faith could hardly believe what she saw, for 
Kashaqua had seized the basket and pushed it 
out of the bear's reach, and was now belaboring 
him with a stout piece of wood that she had 
seized from the pile by the shelter. As she hit 
the bear she called out strange words in the 
Indian tongue, whose meaning Faith could not 
imagine, but which the bear seemed to under- 
stand. The creature accepted the blows with 
a queer little whimper which made Faith laugh 
in spite of her fear. And when Kashaqua had 
quite finished with him he crept along beside 
her, looking up as if pleading for forgiveness. 

“ Oh, Kashaqua ! Is it the bear that your 
papooses tamed ? ” exclaimed Faith, remember- 
ing the story told her on the way. 

Kashaqua nodded, at the same time mutter- 
ing words of reproach to the bear. 

“ He like bad Indian, steal from friends,” she 
explained to Faith. “ His name Nooski,” she 
added. 

Nooski was quite ready to make friends with 


68 


A LITTLE MAID 


Faith, but she was not yet sure of his good- 
nature. It seemed to the little girl that the bear 
understood every word Kashaqua uttered ; and 
when they went on their way down the trail 
Nooski followed, or kept close beside them. 

It was still early in the afternoon when they 
reached level ground and Faith had her first 
glimpse of the blue waters of Lake Champlain 
and saw the heights of Ticonderoga on the 
opposite shore. For a moment she forgot 
Nooski and Kashaqua, and stood looking at the 
sparkling waters and listening to the same 
sound of “ Chiming Waters ” that had made the 
early French settlers call the place “ Carillon.” 
She wondered if she should ever see the inside 
of the fort of which she had heard so much, and 
then heard Kashaqua calling her name. 

“ Canoe all ready, Faith.” The Indian woman 
had drawn the birch-bark canoe from its hiding- 
place in the underbrush, and the light craft now 
rested on the waters of the lake. The baskets 
and bundles were in the canoe, and Kashaqua, 
paddle in hand, stood waiting for her little com- 
panion. 

“ Where's Nooski ? ” asked Faith, looking 
about for the young bear. 


OF TICONDEROGA 69 

Kashaqua pointed toward the distant range of 
mountains which they had left behind them. 
“ He gone home/' she said. 

Kashaqua told her how to step into the canoe, 
and how to sit, and cautioned her not to move. 
Faith felt as if the day had been a wonderful 
dream. As Kashaqua with swift strokes of her 
paddle sent the canoe over the water Faith sat 
silent, with eyes fixed on the looming battle- 
ments of the fort, on the high mountain behind 
it, and thought to herself that no other little 
girl had ever taken such a journey. 

Kashaqua landed some distance below the 
fort ; the canoe was again safely hidden, and 
after a short walk across a field they reached a 
broad, well-traveled road. “ 'Most to Philip 
Scott's house," grunted Kashaqua. “ You be 
glad ? " and she looked down at the little girl 
with a friendly smile. 


CHAPTER VII 


NEW FRIENDS 

“ An Indian woman and a little girl with 
yellow hair are coming across the road, mother/' 
declared Donald Scott, rushing into the sitting- 
room, where his mother was busy with her sew- 
ing. 

Mrs. Scott hastened to the front door. “ Oh, 
Aunt Prissy," called Faith, running as fast as 
her tired feet could carry her, and hardly seeing 
the brown-haired little cousin standing by his 
mother's side. 

Aunt Prissy welcomed her little niece, whom 
she had not expected to see for weeks to come, 
and then turned to thank Kashaqua. But the 
Indian woman had disappeared. The bundle 
containing Faith's clothing lay on the door-step, 
but there was no trace of her companion. Long 
afterward they discovered that Kashaqua had 
started directly back over the trail, and had 
reached the Carews' cabin, with her message of 
70 


OF TICONDEROGA 


7 l 

Faith's safe arrival at her aunt's house, early 
the next morning. 

“ Come in, dear child. You are indeed wel- 
come. Your father's letter reached me but 
yesterday," said Aunt Prissy, putting her arm 
about Faith and leading her into the house. 
“ I know you are tired, and you shall lie down 
on the settle for a little, and then have your 
supper and go straight to bed." 

Faith was quite ready to agree. As she curled 
up on the broad sofa her three little cousins 
came into the room. They came on tiptoe, 
very quietly, Donald leading the two younger 
boys. Their mother had told them that Cousin 
Faith was tired after her long journey, and that 
they must just kiss her and run away. 

Faith smiled up at the friendly little faces as 
they bent over to welcome her. “ I know I 
shan't be lonesome with such dear cousins," she 
said, and the boys ran away to their play, quite 
sure that it was a fine thing to have a girl cousin 
come from the Wilderness to visit them. 

Faith slept late the next morning, and awoke 
to hear the sound of rain against the windows. 
It was a lonesome sound to a little girl so far 
from her mother and father, and Faith was al- 


A LITTLE MAID 


7 2 

ready thinking to herself that this big house, 
with its shining yellow floors, its white win- 
dow curtains, and its nearness to a well-traveled 
road, was a very dreary place compared to her 
cabin home, when her chamber door opened and 
in came her Aunt Prissy, smiling and happy as 
if a rainy day was just what she had been hop- 
ing for. 

“ We shall have a fine time to-day, Faithie 
dear,” she declared, as she filled the big blue 
wash-basin with warm water. “ There is nothing 
like a rainy day for a real good time. Your 
Uncle Philip and the boys are waiting to eat 
breakfast with you, and I have a great deal to 
talk over with you ; so make haste and come 
down,” and Aunt Prissy, with a gay little nod, 
was gone, leaving Faith greatly cheered and 
wondering what the “ good time ” would be. 

Uncle Philip Scott was waiting at the foot of 
the stairs. “ So here is our little maid from the 
Wilderness I Well, it is a fine thing to have a 
girl in the house,” he declared, leading Faith 
into the dining-room and giving her a seat at 
the table beside his own. “ Did you have any 
adventures coming over the trail ? ” he asked, 
after Faith had greeted her little cousins. 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 


73 

Faith told them of “ Nooski’s ” appearance, 
greatly to the delight of her boy cousins, who 
asked if the Indian woman had told Faith the 
best way to catch bear cubs and tame them. 

“ Come out to the shop, boys,” said Mr. Scott 
as they finished breakfast, “ and help me repair 
the cart, and fix ‘ Ginger’s ’ harness. Perhaps 
Cousin Faith will come, too, later on in the 
morning.” 

“ We’ll see. Faithie and I have a good deal 
to do,” responded Mrs. Scott. 

The boys ran off with their father, chattering 
gaily, but at the door Donald turned and called 
back : “ You’ll come out to the shop, won’t you, 
Cousin Faith ? ” 

“ If Aunt Prissy says I may,” answered Faith. 

11 Yes ; she will come,” added Aunt Prissy, 
with her ready smile. 

It seemed to Faith that Aunt Prissy was al- 
ways smiling. “ 1 don’t believe she could be 
cross,” thought the little girl. 

She helped her aunt clear the table and wash 
the dishes, just as she had helped her mother at 
home ; and as they went back and forth in the 
pleasant kitchen, with the dancing flames from 
the fireplace brightening the walls and making 


A LITTLE MAID 


74 

the tins shine like silver, Faith quite forgot that 
the rain was pouring down and that she was far 
from home. 

“ I am going to begin a dress for you this 
very day. It is some material I have in the 
house ; a fine blue thibet, and I shall put ruffles 
on the skirt. That will be your Sunday dress, 77 ' 
said Aunt Priscilla, “ and your father wrote me 
you were to have the best shoes that the shoe- 
maker can make for you. We 7 ll see about the 
shoes to-morrow. Did you bring your blue beads, 
Faithie ? But of course you did. They will be 
nice to wear with your blue frock. And I mean 
you to have a warm hood of quilted silk for 
Sunday wear . 77 

Faith drew a long breath as her aunt finished. 
She wondered what Aunt Prissy would say if she 
told her about giving the blue beads to Esther 
Eldridge. But in the exciting prospect of so 
many new and beautiful things she almost for- 
got the lost beads. She had brought “ Lady 
Amy , 77 carefully packed in the stout bundle, 
and Aunt Prissy declared that the doll should 
have a dress and hood of the fine blue thibet. 

“ When shall I go to school, Aunt Prissy ? ” 
asked Faith. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


75 

“ I think the school begins next week, and 
you shall be all ready. I mean to make you a 
good dress of gray and scarlet homespun for 
school wear,” replied her aunt. “ The school- 
house is but a half-mile walk from here ; a fine 
new cabin, and you and Donald may go together. 
I declare, the rain has stopped. 4 Rain before 
seven, clear before eleven ' is a true saying.” 

Faith ran to the window and looked out. 
“ Yes, indeed. The sky is blue again,” she 
said. 

“ You'd best run out to the shop a while now, 
Faithie. I'll call you when 'tis time,” said her 
aunt. 

Faith opened the kitchen door to step out, but 
closed it quickly, and looked around at her aunt 
with a startled face. “ There's a little bear right 
on the door-step,” she whispered. 

“ A bear ! Oh, I forgot. You have not seen 
< Scotchie,' our dog,” said Aunt Prissy. “ No 
wonder you thought he was a bear. But he is a 
fine fellow, and a good friend. I often wish your 
dear father had just such a dog,” and she opened 
the door and called “ Scotchie ! Scotchie ! ” 

The big black Newfoundland dog came slowly 
into the room. 


A LITTLE MAID 


76 

“ Pat your hand on liis head, Faith,” said 
Aunt Prissy, “ and I’ll tell him who you are, 
and that he is to take care of you. He went to 
school with Donald all last spring, and we knew 
he would take care of him. Here, ‘ Scotchie/ 
go to the shop with Faith,” she concluded. 

Faith started for the square building on the 
further side of the yard, and the big dog marched 
along beside her. Donald and little Philip came 
running to meet her. 

“ I’m going to make you a bow and some 
arrows, Cousin Faith,” said Donald, pushing 
open the shop door. “ I have a fine piece of 
ash, just right for a bow, and some deerskin 
thongs to string it with. I made bows for Hugh 
and Philip.” 

The workshop seemed a very wonderful place 
to Faith, and she looked at the forge, with its 
glowing coals, over which her Uncle Philip was 
holding a bar of iron, at the long work-bench 
with its tools, and at the small bench, evidently 
made for the use of her little cousins. 

The boys were eager to show her all their 
treasures. They had a box full of bright 
feathers, with which to tip their arrows. 

“ We’ll show you how to make an arrow, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


77 

Cousin Faith,” said Donald. “ First of all, you 
must be sure the piece of wood is straight, and 
has no knots/’ and Donald selected a narrow 
strip of wood and held it on a level with his 
eyes, squinting at its length, just as he had seen 
his father do. “ This is a good straight piece. 
Here, you use my knife, and whittle it down 
until it’s about as big as your finger. And then 
I’ll show you how to finish it.” 

But before Faith had whittled the wood to 
the required size, they heard the sound of a 
gaily whistled tune, and Donald ran toward the 
door and called out : “ Hallo, Nathan,” and a 
tall, pleasant-faced boy of about fifteen years 
appeared in the doorway. He took off his 
coonskin cap as he entered. 

“ Good-morning, Mr. Scott,” he said, and then 
turned smilingly to speak to the boys. 

“ Faith, this is Nathan Beaman,” said Donald, 
and the tall boy bowed again, and Faith smiled 
and nodded. 

“ I’ve been up to the fort to sell a basket of 
eggs,” explained Nathan, turning again to Mr. 
Scott. 

“ You are a great friend of the English sol- 
diers, are you not, Nathan ? ” responded Mr. Scott. 


A LITTLE MAID 


78 

“ No, sir ! ” the boy answered quickly. “ 1 
go to the fort when my errands take me. But 
I know well enough what those English soldiers 
are there for; all the Shoreham folk know 
that. I wish the Green Mountain Boys held 
Ticonderoga,” he concluded. 

Mr. Scott rested a friendly hand on the boy’s 
shoulder. 

“ Best not say that aloud, my boy ; but I am 
glad the redcoats have not made you forget 
that American settlers have a right to defend 
their homes.” 

“ I hear there’s a reward offered for the cap- 
ture of Ethan Allen,” said the boy. 

Mr. Scott laughed. “ Yes, but he’s in small 
danger. Colonel Allen may capture the fort 
instead of being taken a prisoner,” he answered. 

Nathan now turned toward the children, and 
Donald showed him the bow he was making 
for his cousin. “ I’ll string it for you,” offered 
Nathan ; and Donald was delighted to have 
the older boy finish his work, for he was quite 
sure that anything Nathan Beaman did was a 
little better than the work of any other boy. 

“ Who wants to capture Colonel Allen?” 
Faith asked. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


79 

“ The 1 Yorkers.' The English," responded 
the boy carelessly ; “ but it can’t be done," he 
added. “ Why, every man who holds a New 
Hampshire Grant would defend him. And 
Colonel Allen isn’t afraid of the whole Eng- 
lish army." 

“ I know him. He was at my father’s house 
just a few weeks ago," said Faith. 

“ Don’t tell anybody," said Nathan. “ Some 
of the people at the fort may question you, but 
you mustn’t let them know that you have ever 
seen Colonel Allen." 

Donald had been busy sorting out feathers 
for the new arrows, and now showed Nathan a 
number of bright yellow tips, which the elder 
boy declared would be just what were needed. 

Nathan asked Faith many questions about 
her father’s mill, and about Ethan Allen’s visit. 
And Faith told him of the big bear that had 
entered their kitchen and eaten the syrup. 
When Mrs. Scott called them to dinner she 
felt that she was well acquainted with the 
good-natured boy, whom Mrs. Scott welcomed 
warmly. 

“ I believe Nathan knows as much about 
Fort Ticonderoga as the men who built it," she 


8o 


A LITTLE MAID 


said laughingly, “ for the soldiers have let him 
play about there since he was a little boy.” 

“ And Nathan made his own boat, too. The 
boat he comes over from Shoreham in,” said 
Donald. For Nathan Beaman lived on the 
further side of the strip of water which sepa- 
rated Ticonderoga from the New Hampshire 
Grants. 

That afternoon Faith and her aunt worked 
on the fine new blue dress. The next day Mrs. 
Scott took her little niece to the shoemaker, 
who measured her feet and promised to have 
the shoes ready at the end of a week. 

As they started for the shoemaker’s Mrs. 
Scott said : 

“The man who will make your shoes is a 
great friend of the English soldiers. Your 
uncle thinks that he gathers up information 
about the American settlers and tells the Eng- 
lish officers. Do not let him question you as 
to what your father thinks of American or Eng- 
lish rule. For I must leave you there a little 
while to do an errand at the next house.” 

Faith began to think that it was rather a 
serious thing to live near an English fort. 


CHAPTER VIII 

THE SHOEMAKER^ DAUGHTER 

The shoemaker was the smallest man Faith 
had ever seen. She thought to herself that she 
was glad he was not an American. When he 
stood up to speak to Mrs. Scott Faith remem- 
bered a picture in one of her mother's books of 
an orang-outang. For the shoemaker's hair was 
coarse and black, and seemed to stand up all 
over his small head, and his face was nearly 
covered by a stubbly black beard. His arms 
were long, and he did not stand erect. His 
eyes were small and did not seem to see the 
person to whom he was speaking. 

But he greeted his customers pleasantly, and 
as Faith sat on a little stool near his bench 
waiting for her aunt's return, he told her that 
he had a little daughter about her own age, but 
that she was not very well. 

“ Perhaps your aunt will let you come and 
see her some day ? ” he said. 

“ I'll ask her," replied Faith, and before they 
81 


82 


A LITTLE MAID 


had time for any further conversation the door 
opened and a tall man in a scarlet coat, deerskin 
trousers and high boots entered the shop. 

“ Any news ? ” he asked sharply. 

“ No, captain. Nothing at all,” replied the 
shoemaker. 

“ You’re not worth your salt, Andy,” declared 
the officer. “ I’ll wager this small maid here 
would have quicker ears for news.” 

Faith wished that she could run away, but did 
not dare to move. 

“ Well, another summer we’ll put the old fort 
in order and have a garrison that will be worth 
while. Now, what about my riding boots ? ” 
he added, and after a little talk the officer de- 
parted. 

It was not long before Mrs. Scott called for 
her little niece and the two started for home. 

Faith told her aunt what the shoemaker had 
said about his little girl, and noticed that Aunt 
Prissy’s face was rather grave and troubled. 

“ Do I have to go, Aunt Prissy ? ” she asked. 

“ We’ll see, my dear. But now we must 
hurry homeland sew on the new dresses,” re- 
plied Aunt Prissy, and for a few moments they 
walked on in silence. 


OF TICONDEROGA 83 

Faith could hear the musical sound of the 
falls, and was reminded of the dancing mill- 
stream, of the silver fox and of her own dear 
“ Bounce.” Every hour since her arrival at 
Aunt Prissy's had been so filled with new and 
strange happenings that the little girl had not 
had time to be lonely. 

“ What is the name of the shoemaker's little 
girl, Aunt Prissy ? ” she asked, as they came 
in sight of home, with Donald and Philip, 
closely followed by “ Scotchie,” coming to meet 
them. 

“ Her name is Louise Trent, and she is lame. 
She is older than you, several years older,” an- 
swered Aunt Prissy, “ and I fear she is a mis- 
chievous child. But the poor girl has not had 
a mother to care for her for several years. She 
and her father live alone.” 

“ Does she look like her father ? ” questioned 
Faith, resolving that if such were the case she 
would not want Louise for a playmate. 

“ Oh, no. Louise would be pretty if she were 
a neat and well-behaved child. She has soft 
black hair, black eyes, and is slenderly built. 
Too slender, I fear, for health,” replied Mrs. 
Scott, who often thought of the shoemaker’s 


A LITTLE MAID 


84 

motherless little girl, whose father seemed to re- 
sent any effort to befriend her. 

“ Why, that sounds just the way Esther El- 
dridge looks. Only Esther isn’t lame,” re- 
sponded Faith ; and, in answer to her aunt’s 
questions, Faith described Esther’s visit to the 
cabin, omitting, however, the fact that she had 
given Esther the blue beads. 

Faith did not think to speak of the red-coated 
soldier until the family were gathered about the 
supper-table that night. Then she suddenly re- 
membered what he had said, and repeated it to 
her uncle, who was asking her about her visit 
to Mr. Trent’s shop. 

“ So that’s their plan. More soldiers to come 
another summer ! ’Twas a careless thing for an 
officer to repeat. But they are so sure that none 
of us dare lift a hand to protect ourselves that 
they care not who knows their plans. I’ll see 
to it that Ethan Allen and the men at Benning- 
ton get word of this,” said Mr. Scott, and then 
asked Faith to repeat again exactly what the 
officer had said. 

In a few dav* both of Faith’s new dresses were 
finished ; ai*^ greatly to her delight, Aunt 
Prissy ha " made her a pretty cap of blue velvet, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


85 

with a partridge's wing on one side. She was 
trying on the cap before the mirror in the sit- 
ting-room one afternoon when she heard a queer 
noise on the porch and then in the front entry. 
Aunt Prissy was up-stairs, and the boys were 
playing outdoors. 

“ I wonder what it is ? " thought Faith, run- 
ning toward the door. As she opened it she 
nearly exclaimed in surprise, for there, leaning 
on a crutch, was the queerest little figure she 
had ever imagined. A little girl whose black 
hair straggled over her forehead, and whose big 
dark eyes had a half-frightened expression, stood 
staring in at the pleasant room. An old ragged 
shawl was pinned about her shoulders, and be- 
neath it Faith could see the frayed worn skirt 
of gray homespun. But on her feet were a pair 
of fine leather shoes, well fitting and highly 
polished. 

“ I brought your shoes," said this untidy 
visitor, swinging herself a step forward nearer to 
Faith, and holding out a bundle. “ Father 
doesn't know I've come," she added, with a little 
smile of satisfaction. “ But I wanted to see you." 

“ Won't you sit down?" said Faith politely, 
pulling forward a big cushioned chair. 


86 


A LITTLE MAID 


Louise Trent sat down as if hardly knowing 
if she dared trust the chair or not. 

“ Your aunt didn’t let you come to see me, 
did she? I knew she wouldn’t,” continued 
Louise. “What you got?” she questioned, 
looking at the pretty cap with admiring eyes. 

“ It’s new. And I never had one before,” 
answered Faith. 

“ Well, I’ve never had one, and I never shall 
have. You wouldn’t let me try that one on, 
would you?” said Louise, looking at Faith 
with such a longing expression in her dark 
eyes that Faith did not hesitate for a mo- 
ment. 

“ Of course I will,” she answered quickly, and 
taking off the cap placed it carefully on Louise’s 
untidy black hair. 

“ If your hair was brushed back it would look 
nice on you,” declared Faith. “ You wait, and 
I’ll get my brush and fix your hair,” and before 
Louise could reply Faith was running up the 
stairs. She was back in a moment with brush 
and comb, and Louise submitted to having her 
hair put in order, and tied back with one of 
the new hair ribbons that Aunt Prissy had 
given Faith. While Faith was thus occupied 


OF TICONDEROGA 87 

Louise looked about the sitting-room, and asked 
questions. 

“ There,” said Faith. “ Now it looks nice 
on you. But what makes you wear that old 
shawl ? ” 

Louise’s face clouded, and she raised her 
crutch as if to strike Faith. “ Don’t you make 
fun of me. I have to wear it. I don’t have 
nothing like other girls,” she exclaimed, and 
dropping the crutch, she turned her face against 
the arm of the chair and began to sob bitterly. 

For a moment Faith looked at her in amaze- 
ment, and then she knelt down beside the big 
chair and began patting the shoulder under the 
ragged shawl. 

“ Don’t cry, Louise. Don’t cry. Listen, I’ll 
ask my aunt to make you a cap just like mine. 
I know she will.” 

“ No. She wouldn’t want me to have a cap 
like yours,” declared Louise. 

“ Isn’t your father good to you ? ” questioned 
Faith. And this question made Louise sit up 
straight and wipe her eyes on the corner of the 
old shawl. 

“ Good to me ! Of course he is. Didn’t he 
make me these fine shoes ? ” she answered, point- 


88 


A LITTLE MAID 


ing to her feet. “ But how could he make me 
a pretty cap or a dress ? And he doesn’t want 
to ask anybody. But you needn’t think he 
ain’t good to me ! ” she concluded, reaching after 
the crutch. 

“ Don’t go yet, Louise. See, that’s my doll 
over on the sofa. Her name is 1 Lady Amy,’ ” 
and Faith ran to the sofa and brought back her 
beloved doll and set it down in Louise’s lap. 

“ I never touched a doll before,” said Louise, 
almost in a whisper. “ You’re real good to let 
me hold her. Are you going to live here ? ” 

“ I’m going to school,” replied Faith. “ I’ve 
never been to school.” 

“ Neither have I,” said Louise. “ I s’pose you 
know your letters, don’t you ? ” 

“ Oh, yes. Of course I do. I can read and 
write, and do fractions,” answered Faith. 

“ I can’t read,” declared Louise. 

Just then Mrs. Scott entered the room. If 
she was surprised to see the shoemaker’s daughter 
seated in her easy chair, wearing Faith’s new 
cap and holding “ Lady Amy,” she did not let 
the little girls know it, but greeted Louise cor- 
dially, took Faith’s new shoes from their wrap- 
ping and said they were indeed a fine pair of 


OF TICONDEROGA 89 

shoes. Then she turned to Louise, with the 
pleasant little smile that Faith so admired, and 
said : “ You are the first little girl who has come 
to see my little niece, so I think it would be 
pleasant if you two girls had a taste of my fruit 
cake that I make just for company,” and she 
started toward the dining-room and soon re- 
turned with a tray. 

“ Just bring the little table from the corner, 
Faithie, and set it in front of Louise and ‘ Lady 
Amy/ ” she said, and Faith hastened to obey. 

Aunt Prissy set the tray on the table. “Ill 
come back in a little while,” she said, and left 
the girls to themselves. 

The tray was very well filled. There was a 
plate of the rich dark cake, and beside it two 
dainty china plates and two fringed napkins. 
There was a plate of thin slices of bread and 
butter, a plate of cookies, and two glasses filled 
with creamy milk. 

“ Isn’t this lovely ? ” exclaimed Faith, drawing 
a chair near the table. “It’s just like a party, 
isn’t it? I’m just as glad as I can be that you 
brought my shoes home, Louise. We’ll be real 
friends now, shan’t we?” 


CHAPTER IX 


LOUISE 

“ I must go home,” said Louise, with a little 
sigh at having to end the most pleasant visit 
she ever remembered. The two little girls had 
finished the lunch, and had played happily 
with “ Lady Amy.” Mrs. Scott had left them 
quite by themselves, and not even the small 
cousins had come near the sitting-room. 

As Louise spoke she took off the blue velvet 
cap, which she had worn all the afternoon, and 
began to untie the hair ribbon. 

“ Oh, Louise ! Don't take off that hair rib- 
bon. I gave it to you. It's a present,” ex- 
claimed Faith. 

Louise shook her head. “ Father won't let 
me keep it,” she answered. “ He wouldn't like 
it if he knew that I had eaten anything in this 
house. He is always telling me that if people 
offer to give me anything I must never, never 
take it .” 


90 


OF TICONDEROGA 


91 

Before Faith could speak Aunt Prissy came 
into the room. 

“ Tell your father I will come in and pay him 
for Faith’s shoes to-morrow, Louise,” she said 
pleasantly, “ and you must come and see Faith 
again.” 

“ Yes’m. Thank you,” responded Louise 
shyly, and nodding to Faith with a look of 
smiling understanding, the crippled child made 
her way quickly from the room. 

“ Aunt Prissy, I like Louise Trent. I don’t 
believe she is a mischievous girl. Just think, 
she never had a doll in her life ! And her 
father won’t let her take presents ! ” Faith had 
so much to say that she talked very rapidly. 

“ I see,” responded her aunt, taking up the 
rumpled hair ribbon which Louise had refused. 
“ I am glad you were so kind to the poor 
child,” she added, smiling down at her little 
niece. “Tell me all you can about Louise. 
Perhaps there will be some way to make her life 
happier.” 

So Faith told her aunt that Louise could not 
read. That she had never before tasted fruit 
cake, and that she had no playmates, and had 
never had a present. “ Why do you suppose 


92 A LITTLE MAID 

she came to see me, Aunt Prissy ?” she con- 
cluded. 

“ I cannot imagine. Unless it was because 
you are a stranger,” replied Aunt Prissy. “I 
have an idea that I can arrange with Mr. Trent 
so that he will be willing for me to make Louise 
a dress, and get for her the things she ought to 
have. For the shoemaker is no poorer than 
most of his neighbors. How would you like 
to teach Louise to read ? ” 

“ I’d like to I Oh, Aunt Prissy, tell me your 
plan ! ” responded Faith eagerly. 

“ Wait until I am sure it is a good plan, 
Faithie dear,” her aunt replied. “ I’ll go down 
and see Mr. Trent to-morrow. I blame myself 
that I have not tried to be of use to that child.” 

“ May I go with you ? ” urged Faith. 

“ Why, yes. You can visit Louise while I talk 
with her father, since he asked you to come.” 

11 Has the Witch gone? ” called Donald, run- 
ning into the room. “ Didn’t you know that 
all the children call the Trent girl a witch ? ” 
he asked his mother. 

“ No, Donald. But if they do they ought to 
be ashamed. She is a little girl without any 
mother to care for her. And now she is your 


OF TICONDEROGA 


93 

cousin’s friend, and we hope to see her here 
often. And you must always be polite and 
kind to her,” replied Mrs. Scott. 

Donald looked a little doubtful and puzzled. 

“ You ought to be more kind to her than to 
any other child, because she is lame,” said Faith. 

“ All right. But what is a 1 witch/ any- 
way ? ” responded Donald. 

“ It is a wicked word,” answered his mother 
briefly. “ See that you do not use it again.” 

Faith’s thoughts were now so filled, with 
Louise that she nearly lost her interest in the 
new dresses and shoes, and was eager for the 
next day to come so that she could again see 
her new friend. 

Faith had been taught to sew neatly, and she 
wondered if she could not help make Louise a 
dress. “ And perhaps Aunt Prissy will teach 
her how to make cake,” she thought ; for never 
to taste of cake seemed to Faith to be a real 
misfortune. For the first night since her arrival 
at her aunt’s home Faith went to sleep with- 
out a homesick longing for the cabin in the 
Wilderness, and awoke the next morning think- 
ing about all that could be done for the friend- 
less little girl who could not accept a present. 


94 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ We will go to Mr. Trent’s as soon as our 
morning work is finished,” said Aunt Prissy, 
“ and you shall wear your new shoes and cap. 
And I have a blue cape which I made for you 
before you came. The morning is chilly. You 
had best wear that.” 

“ I don’t look like Faith Carew, I am so fine,” 
laughed the little girl, looking down at her 
shoes, and touching the soft cloth of the pretty 
blue cape. 

As they walked along Faith told Aunt Prissy 
of her plans to teach Louise to sew, as well as 
to read. “ And perhaps you’ll show her how to 
make cake ! Will you, Aunt Prissy?” 

“ Of course I will, if I can get the chance,” 
replied her aunt. 

The shoemaker greeted them pleasantly. Be- 
fore Mrs. Scott could say anything of her errand 
he began to apologize for his daughter’s visit. 

“ She slipped off* without my knowing it. It 
shan’t happen again,” he said. 

“ But Faith will be very sorry if it doesn’t 
happen again,” replied Aunt Prissy. “ Can she 
not run in and see Louise while I settle with 
you for the shoes?” 

The shoemaker looked at her sharply for a 


OF TICONDEROGA 


95 

moment, and then motioned Faith to follow 
him, leading the way across the shop toward 
a door on the farther side of the room. The 
shop occupied the front room of the shoemak- 
er’s house. The two back rooms, with the 
chambers above, was where Louise and her 
father made their home. 

Mr. Trent opened the door and said : “ You’ll 
find her in there,” and Faith stepped into the 
queerest room that she had ever seen, and the 
door closed behind her. Louise was standing, 
half-hidden by a clumsy wooden chair. The 
shawl was still pinned about her shoulders. 

“ This ain’t much like your aunt’s house, is 
it? I guess you won’t ever want to come 
again. And my father says I can’t ever go to 
see you again. He says I don’t look fit,” said 
Louise. 

But Faith’s eyes had brightened, and she was 
looking at the further side of the room and 
smiling with delight. “ Oh, Louise ! Why 
didn’t you tell me that you had a gray kitten? 
And it looks just like ‘ Bounce,’ ” and in a mo- 
ment she had picked up the pretty kitten, and 
was sitting beside Louise on a roughly made 
wooden seat, telling her of her own kitten, 


A LITTLE MAID 


96 

while Louise eagerly described the cleverness 
of her own pet. 

“What’s its name?” asked Faith. 

“Just ‘kitten/” answered Louise, as if sur- 
prised at the question. 

“ But it must have a real name,” insisted 
Faith, and it was finally decided that it should 
be named “Jump,” the nearest approach to the 
name of Faith’s kitten that they could imagine. 

The floor of the room was rough and uneven, 
and not very clean. There was a table, the big 
chair and the wooden seat. Although the 
morning was chilly there was no fire in the 
fireplace, although there was a pile of wood in 
one corner. There was but one window, which 
looked toward the lake. 

“ Come out in the kitchen, where it’s warm,” 
suggested Louise, after a few moments, and Faith 
was glad to follow her. 

“ Don’t you want to try on my new cape ? ” 
asked Faith, as they reached the kitchen, a 
much pleasanter room than the one they had 
left. 

Louise shook her head. “ I daresn’t,” she 
replied. “ Father may come in. And he’d take 
my head off.” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


97 

" You are coming to see me, Louise. Aunt 
Prissy is talking to your father about it now/’ 
said Faith ; but Louise was not to be convinced. 

44 He won’t [let me. You’ll see,” she an- 
swered mournfully. 44 I know. He’ll think 
your aunt is 4 Charity.’ Why, he won’t make 
shoes any more for the minister because his 
wife brought me a dress ; and I didn’t wear the 
dress, either.” 

But there was a surprise in store for Louise, 
for when Mrs. Scott and Mr. Trent entered 
the kitchen the shoemaker was smiling ; and 
it seemed to Faith that he stood more erect, 
and did not look so much like the picture of 
the orang-outang. 

44 Louise, Mrs. Scott and I have been making 
a bargain,” he said. 44 1 am going to make 
shoes for her boys, and she is going to make 
dresses for my girl. Exchange work ; I be- 
lieve that’s right, isn’t it, ma’am ? ” and he 
turned to Mrs. Scott with a little bow. 

44 Yes, it is quite right. And I’ll send you 
the bill for materials,” said Aunt Prissy. 

44 Of course. Well, Louise, I warrant you’re 
old enough to have proper dresses. And Mrs. 
Scott will take you home to stay with her until 


A LITTLE MAID 


98 

you are all fixed up as fine as this little maid,” 
and the shoemaker nodded to Faith. 

“ Do you mean I’m to stay up there ? ” asked 
Louise, pointing in the direction of the Scotts’ 
house. “ I can’t. Who’d take care of you, 
father?” 

Mr. Trent seemed to stand very straight in- 
deed as Louise spoke, and Faith was ashamed 
that she had ever thought he resembled the 
ugly picture in her mother’s book. 

“ She’s a good child,” he said as if whispering 
to himself; but he easily convinced Louise 
that, for a few days, he could manage to take 
care of himself ; and at last Louise, happy and 
excited over this change in her fortunes, hob- 
bled off beside Mrs. Scott and Faith, while her 
father stood in the shop doorway looking after 
them. 

It was a very differently dressed little daughter 
who returned to him at the end of the follow- 
ing week. She wore a neat brown wool dress, 
with a collar and cuffs of scarlet cloth, a cape 
of brown, and a cap of brown with a scarlet 
wing on one side. These, with her well-made, 
well-fitting shoes, made Louise a very trim 
little figure in spite of her lameness. Her hair, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


99 

well brushed and neatly braided, was tied back 
with a scarlet ribbon. A bundle containing 
underwear, aprons, handkerchiefs, and hair 
ribbons of various colors, as well as a stout 
cotton dress for Louise to wear indoors, arrived 
at the shoemaker’s house with the little girl. 

Her father looked at her in amazement. 
“ Why, Flibbertigibbet, you are a pretty girl,” 
he declared, and was even more amazed at the 
gay laugh with which Louise answered him. 

“ I’ve learned a lot of things, father ! I can 
make a cake, truly I can. And I’m learning 
to read. I’m so glad Faith Carew is going to 
live in Ticonderoga. Aren’t you, father ? ” 

Mr. Trent looked at his daughter again, and 
answered slowly : “ Why, yes, Flibbertigibbet, 
I believe I am.” 


CHAPTER X 

THE MAJOR'S DAUGHTERS 

The day that school began Faith returned 
home to find that a letter from her mother and 
father had arrived. It was a long letter, telling 
the little girl of all the happenings since her 
departure at the pleasant cabin in the Wilder- 
ness. Her father had shot a deer, which meant 
a good supply of fresh meat. Kashaqua had 
brought the good news of Faith's arrival at 
her aunt's house ; and, best of all, her father 
wrote that before the heavy snows and severe 
winter cold began he should make the trip to 
Ticonderoga to be sure that his little daughter 
was well and happy. 

But there was one sentence in her mother's 
letter that puzzled Faith. “ Your father will 
bring your blue beads," her mother had written, 
and Faith could not understand it, for she was 
sure Esther had the beads. She had looked in 
the box in the sitting-room closet after Esther's 
100 


OF TICONDEROGA 


IOI 


departure, hoping that Esther might have put 
them back before starting for home, but the box 
had been empty. 

“Who brought my letter, Uncle Phil ? ” she 
questioned, but her uncle did not seem to hear. 

“ Father got it from a man in a canoe when 
we were down at the shore. The man hid 

“ Never mind, Hugh. You must not repeat 
what you see, even at home,” said Mr. Scott. 

So Faith asked no more questions. She 
knew that the Green Mountain Boys sent mes- 
sengers through the Wilderness ; and that Amer- 
icans all through the Colonies were kept notified 
of what the English soldiers stationed in those 
northern posts were doing or planning. She 
was sure that some such messenger had brought 
her letter ; and, while she wondered if it might 
have been her friend Ethan Allen, she had 
learned since her stay in her uncle's house that 
he did not like to be questioned in regard to 
his visitors from across the lake. 

“ I'll begin a letter to mother dear this very 
night, so it will be all ready when father comes," 
she said, thinking of all she longed to tell her 
mother about Louise, the school and her pretty 
new dresses. 


102 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ So you did not bring your beads,” said Aunt 
Prissy, as she read Mrs. Carew’s letter. “ Did 
you forget them ? ” 

Faith could feel her face flush as she replied : 
“ No, Aunt Prissy.” She wished that she could 
tell her aunt just why she had felt obliged to 
give them to Esther Eldridge, and how puzzled 
she was at her mother’s reference to the beads. 
Faith was already discovering that a secret may 
be a very unpleasant possession. 

As she thought of Esther, she recalled that 
her aunt had spoken of Louise as “ mischievous,” 
and Faith was quite sure that Louise would 
never have accepted the beads or have done any 
of the troublesome things that had made the 
first days of Esther’s visit so difficult. 

“ Louise isn’t mischievous,” she declared sud- 
denly. “ What made you think she was, Aunt 
Prissy ? ” 

Aunt Prissy was evidently surprised at this 
sudden change of subject, but she replied pleas- 
antly : 

“ I ought not to have said such a thing ; but 
Louise has improved every day since you be- 
came her friend. How does she get on in her 
learning to read ? ” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


103 

For Faith stopped at the shoemaker’s house 
every day on her way home from school to teach 
Louise; and “Flibbertigibbet,” as her father 
generally called her, was making good progress. 

“ She learns so quickly,” replied Faith, “ and 
she is learning to write. I do wish she would 
go to school, Aunt Prissy,” for Louise had be- 
come almost sullen at the suggestion. 

Faith did not know that Louise had appeared 
at the schoolhouse several years before, and had 
been so laughed at by some of the rough children 
of the village that she had turned on them 
violently and they had not dared come near her 
since. They had vented their spite, however, in 
calling, “ Witch ! Witch ! Fly home on your 
broomstick,” as Louise hobbled off toward home, 
vowing that never again would she go near a 
school, and sobbing herself to sleep that night. 

Aunt Prissy had heard something of the un- 
fortunate affair, and was glad that Louise, when 
next she appeared at school, would have some 
little knowledge to start with and a friend to 
help her. 

“ Perhaps she will go next term, now that she 
has a girl friend to go with her,” responded 
Mrs. Scott. 


A LITTLE MAID 


104 

Faith was making friends with two girls whose 
seats in the schoolroom were next her own. 
Their names were Caroline and Catherine Young. 
Faith was quite sure that they were two of the 
prettiest girls in the world, and wondered how 
it was possible for any one to make such beauti- 
ful dresses and such dainty white ruffled aprons 
as these two little girls wore to school. The 
sisters were very nearly of an age, and with 
their soft black curls and bright brown eyes, 
their flounced and embroidered dresses with 
dainty collars of lace, they looked very different 
from the more suitably dressed village children. 

Caroline was eleven, and Catherine nine years 
old. But they were far in advance of the other 
children of the school. 

They lost no time in telling Faith that their 
father was an English officer, stationed at Fort 
Ticonderoga ; and this made Faith look at them 
with even more interest. Both the sisters were 
rather scornful in their manner toward the other 
school children. As Faith was a newcomer, and 
a stranger, they were more cordial to her. 

“ You must come to the fort with us some 
day,” Caroline suggested, when the little girls 
had known each other for several weeks ; and 


OF TICONDEROGA 


io 5 

Faith accepted the invitation with such eager- 
ness that the sisters looked at her approvingly. 
Their invitations to some of the other children 
had been rudely refused, and the whispered 
“ Tories ” had not failed to reach their ears. 

“ We like you,” Caroline had continued in 
rather a condescending manner, “ and we have 
told our mother about you. Could you go to 
the fort with us to-morrow ? It's Saturday.” 

“ Oh, yes ; I’m sure I may. I have wanted to 
go to the fort ever since I came. You are real 
good to ask me,” Faith had responded gratefully, 
to the evident satisfaction of the English girls 
who felt that this new little girl knew the proper 
way to receive an invitation. 

It was settled that they would call for Faith 
early on Saturday afternoon. 

“I may go, mayn’t I, Aunt Prissy ?” Faith 
asked, as she told her aunt of the invitation, 
and was rather puzzled to find that Aunt Prissy 
seemed a little doubtful as to the wisdom of 
permitting Faith visiting the fort with her new 
friends. 

“ It is a mile distant, and while that is not 
too long a walk, I do not like you to go so far 
from home with strangers,” she said ; but on 


io6 A LITTLE MAID 

Faith’s declaring that the sisters were the best 
behaved girls in school, and that she had prom- 
ised to go, Mrs. Scott gave her consent; and 
Faith was ready and waiting when Caroline and 
Catherine arrived, soon after dinner on Saturday. 

“ Is your father an officer ? ” asked Caroline, 
as the little girls started off. 

Faith walked between her new friends, and 
looked from one to the other with admiring eyes. 

“ No, my father is a miller. And he owns a 
fine lot of land, too,” she answered smilingly. 

“ Our father is a major. He will go back to 
Albany in the spring, and that is a much better 
place to live than this old frontier town,” said 
Catherine. “ We shan’t have to play with com- 
mon children there.” 

Faith did not quite know what Catherine 
meant, so she made no response, but began 
telling them of her own journey through the 
wilderness and across the lake. But her com- 
panions did not seem much interested. 

“ Your uncle is just a farmer, isn’t he?” said 
Caroline. 

“ Yes, he is a farmer,” Faith replied. She 
knew it was a fine thing to be a good farmer, so 
she answered smilingly. But before the fort 


OF TICONDEROGA 


107 

was reached she began to feel that she did not 
like the sisters as well as when they set out 
together. They kept asking her questions. 
Did her mother have a silver service? and 
why did her aunt not have servants? As they 
neared the fort Catherine ran to her sister's side 
and whispered in her ear. After that they kept 
close together, walking a little way ahead of 
Faith. At the entrance to the fort Faith was 
somewhat alarmed to find a tall soldier, musket 
in hand. But he saluted the little girls, and 
Faith followed her companions along the 
narrow passageway. She wondered to herself 
what she had done to offend them, for they 
responded very stiffly to whatever she had to 
say. The narrow passage led into a large open 
square, surrounded by high walls. Faith looked 
about with wondering eyes. There were big 
cannons, stacks of musketry, and many strange 
things whose name or use she could not imagine. 
There were little groups of soldiers in red coats 
strolling about. 

“ Where is your father, Catherine ? ” she 
asked, and then looked about half fearfully ; for 
both her companions had vanished. 

None of the soldiers seemed to notice Faith. 


io8 


A LITTLE MAID 


For a moment she looked about with anxious 
eyes, and then decided that her friends must 
have turned back to the entrance for some 
reason. 

“ And they probably think that I am right 
behind them,” she thought, running toward an 
arched passageway which she believed was the 
one by which she had entered the fort. But it 
seemed much longer than when she came in a 
moment before. She began running, expecting 
to see the sisters at every step. Suddenly she 
found that she was facing a heavy door at the 
end of the passage, and realized that she had 
mistaken her way. But Faith was not fright- 
ened. “ All I have to do is to run back,” she 
thought, and turned to retrace her steps. But 
there were two passageways opening behind her 
at right angles. For an instant she hesitated, 
and then ran along the one to the right. 

“ Fm sure this is the way I came,” she said 
aloud. But as she went on the passageway 
seemed to curve and twist, and to go on and on 
in an unfamiliar way. It grew more shadowy 
too. Faith found that she could not see very 
far ahead of her, and looking back it seemed 
even darker. She began to feel very tired. 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 109 

“ I’m sure Caroline and Catherine will come 
and find me,” she thought, leaning against the 
damp wall of the passage. “ I’ll just rest a 
minute, and then I’ll call so they will know 
which way to turn to find me.” 


CHAPTER XI 


A DAY OF ADVENTURE 

“ Caroline ! Caroline ! ” called Faith, and 
the call echoed back to her astonished ears from 
the shadowy passage. “ I'd better go back ! I'm 
sure the other was the right way," she finally 
decided ; and very slowly she retraced her steps, 
stopping now and then to call the names of the 
girls who had deserted her. 

It seemed a long time to Faith before she was 
back to where the big solid door had blocked 
the first passage. She was sure now that the 
other way would lead her back to the square 
where she had last seen her companions. But 
as she stood looking at the door she could see 
that it was not closed. It swung a little, and 
Faith wondered to herself if this door, after all, 
might not open near the entrance so that she 
could find her way to the road, and so back to 
Aunt Prissy. 

She could just reach a big iron ring that 
swung from the center of the door; and she 
110 



( < 


y > 


i’m so glad you came 
















t 





































































t 


















































































































































I 




* 









OF TICONDEROGA 


1 1 1 


seized this and pulled with all her might. As 
the door slowly opened, letting in the clear 
October sunlight, Faith heard steps coming 
down the passage. The half-opened door nearly 
hid her from sight, and she looked back expect- 
ing to see either Caroline or Catherine, and, in 
the comfort of the hope of seeing them, quite 
ready to accept any excuse they might offer. 
But before she could call out she heard a voice, 
which was vaguely familiar, say : “ I did leave 
that door open. Lucky I came back,” and 
Nathan Beaman, the Shoreham boy, was close 
beside her. 

When he saw a little girl still grasping the 
iron ring, he seemed too surprised to speak. 

“ Fm lost ! ” Faith whispered. “ I’m so glad 
you came. Major Young’s little girls asked me 
to come to the fort, and then ran away and 
left me,” and Faith told of her endeavors to find 
her companions. 

“ Lucky I came back,” said Nathan again, but 
this time his voice had an angry tone. “ It was 
a mean trick. Those girls — — ” Then Nathan 
stopped suddenly. “Well, they’re Tories,” he 
concluded. 

“ I was afraid it was night,” said Faith. 


I 12 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ No, but you might have wandered about in 
these passageways until you were tired out. Or 
you might have fallen from that door. Look 
out, but hold close to the door,” said Nathan. 

Faith came to the doorway and found herself 
looking straight down the face of a high cliff to 
the blue waters of the lake. Lifting her eyes 
she could look across and see the distant wooded 
hills of the Green Mountains, and could hear 
the “ chiming waters ” of the falls. 

“ It's lovely. But what do they have a door 
here for?” Faith asked. 

And then Nathan explained what forts were 
for. That a door like that gave the soldiers 
who held the fort a chance to look up and down 
the lake in order to see the approach of an 
enemy by water. “ And gives them a chance to 
scramble down the cliff and get away if the 
enemy captures the fort from the other side.” 
Then he showed Faith the two big cannon that 
commanded the lake and any approach by the 
cliff. 

“ But come on. I must take you home,” 
he declared, moving as if to close the door. 

“ Could we get out any other way than by 
going back through that passage? ” asked Faith, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


XI 3 

who thought that she never wanted to see the 
two sisters again, and now feared they might be 
waiting for her. 

“ Certainly we could. That is, if you are a 
good climber,” replied Nathan. “ I’ll tell you 
something, that is, if you’ll never tell,” he 
added. 

“ I won’t,” Faith declared earnestly. 

“ Well, I can go down that cliff and up, too, 
just as easily as I can walk along that pas- 
sage. And the soldiers don’t pay much atten- 
tion to this part of the fort. There’s a sentry at 
the other end of the passage, but he doesn’t 
mind how I get in and out. If you’ll do just as 
I say I’ll take you down the cliff. My boat is 
hidden down by Willow Point, and I'll paddle 
you alongshore. ’Twill be easier than walking. 
That is, if you’re not afraid,” concluded Nathan. 

“ No, I’m not afraid,” said Faith, thinking to 
herself that here was another secret, and almost 
wishing that she had not agreed to listen to it. 

“ Come on, then,” said Nathan, stepping out- 
side the door, and holding tightly to the door- 
frame with one hand and reaching the other 
toward Faith. “ Hold tight to my hand and 
don’t look down,” he said. “ Look to the right 


A LITTLE MAID 


1 14 

as you step out, and you’ll see a chance for your 
feet. I’ve got a tight hold. You can’t fall.” 

Faith clutched his hand and stepped out. 
There was room toward the right for her to 
stand. She heard the big door clang behind her. 
“ I had to shut it,” Nathan said, as he cautiously 
made his way a step down the face of the cliff. 
Faith followed cautiously. She noticed just how 
Nathan clung to the outstanding rocks, how 
slowly and carefully he made each movement. 
She knew if she slipped that she would push 
him as well as herself off into the lake. 

“ I mustn’t slip ! I mustn’t,” she said over 
and over to herself. 

Nathan did not speak, except to tell her where 
to step. At last they were safely down, stand- 
ing on a narrow rocky ledge which hardly gave 
them a foothold. Along this they crept to a 
thick growth of alder bushes where a clumsy 
wooden punt was fastened. 

Faith followed Nathan into the punt, and as 
he pushed the boat off from the bushes she 
gave a long sigh of relief. 

“ That was great ! ” declared Nathan trium- 
phantly. “ Say, you’re the bravest girl I know. 
I’ve always wondered if I could bring anybody 


OF TICONDEROGA 


ii 5 

down that cliff, and now I know I can. But 
you mustn’t tell any one how we got out of the 
fort. You won’t, will you?” And Faith re- 
newed her promise not to tell. 

Nathan paddled the boat out around the prom- 
ontory on which the fort was built. He kept 
close to the shore. 

“ Does Major Young stay at the fort ? ” ques- 
tioned Faith. 

“ Not very long at a time. He comes and 
goes, like all spies,” replied Nathan scornfully. 
“ I wish the Green Mountain Boys would take 
this fort and send the English back where they 
belong. They keep stirring the Indians up 
against the settlers, so that people don’t know 
when they are safe.” 

It was the last day of October, and the morn- 
ing had been bright and sunny. The sun still 
shone, but an east wind was ruffling the waters 
of the lake, and Faith began to feel chilly, 

“ I’ll warrant you don’t know when this lake 
was discovered ? ” said Nathan ; and Faith was 
delighted to tell him that Samuel De Champlain 
discovered and gave the lake his name in 1609. 

“ The Indians used to call it ‘ Pe-ton-boque,’ ” 
she added. 


A LITTLE MAID 


1 16 

But when Nathan asked when the fort was 
built she could not answer, and the boy told 
her of the brave Frenchmen who built Ticon- 
deroga in 1756, bringing troops and supplies 
from Canada. 

“ The old fort has all sorts of provisions, and 
guns and powder that the English have stored 
there. I wish the American troops had them. 
If I were Ethan Allen or Seth Warner I’d make 
a try, anyway, for this fort and for Crown Point, 
too,” said Nathan. 

The rising wind made it rather difficult for 
the boy to manage his boat, and he finally 
landed some distance above the point where 
Kashaqua 'had reached shore. Faith was sure 
that she could go over the fields and find her 
way safely home, and Nathan was anxious to 
cross the lake to Shoreham before the wind 
became any stronger. Faith felt very grateful 
to him for bringing her from the fort. 

“ You’ll be as brave as Colonel Allen when 
you grow up,” she said, as she stood on the 
shore and watched him paddle off against the 
wind. 

He nodded laughingly. “ So will you. Re- 
member your promise,” be called back. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


ii 7 

The wind seemed to blow the little girl before 
it as she hurried across the rough field. She 
held tight to her velvet cap, and, for the first 
time, wondered if she had torn or soiled the 
pretty new dress in her scramble down the cliff. 
Her mind was so full of the happenings of the 
afternoon that she did not look ahead to see 
where she was going, and suddenly her foot 
slipped and she fell headlong into a mass of 
thorn bushes, which seemed to seize her dress 
in a dozen places. By the time Faith had 
fought her way clear her hands were scratched 
and bleeding and her dress torn in ragged ugly 
tears that Faith was sure could never be mended. 

She began to cry bitterly. “ It's all the fault 
of those hateful girls/' she sobbed aloud. “ If 
they had not run off and left me I should be 
safe at home. What will Aunt Prissy say ? ” 

Faith reached the road without further mis- 
hap, and was soon walking up the path. There 
was no one in sight ; not even Scotchie was 
about. A sudden resolve entered her mind : 
She would slip up-stairs, change her dress, and 
not tell her aunt about the torn dress. “ Per- 
haps I can mend it, after all," she thought. 

As she changed her dress hurriedly, she won- 


1 1 8 A LITTLE MAID 

dered where all the family could be, for the 
house was very quiet. But she bathed her 
hands and face, smoothed her ruffled hair, and 
then looked for a place to hide the blue dress 
until she could find a chance to mend it. She 
peered into the closet. A small hair-covered 
trunk stood in the far corner and Faith lifted 
the top and thrust her dress in. At that mo- 
ment she heard Donald’s voice, and then her 
aunt’s, and she started to go down-stairs to 
meet them. 


CHAPTER XII 


SECEETS 

“ Did you see all the fort, and the guns, and 
the soldiers ?” asked Donald eagerly, running 
to meet his cousin as she came slowly into 
the sitting-room. “ Why, your hand is all 
scratched ! ” he added in a surprised tone. 

Faith tried to cover the scratched hand with 
a fold of her skirt. Aunt Prissy noticed that 
the little girl wore her every-day dress. 

“ Didn’t you wear your blue dress, Faithie ? ” 
and without waiting for an answer said : “ Well, 
perhaps this one was just as well, for you might 
have hurt your blue dress.” 

Faith sat down on the big sofa thinking to 
herself that she could never be happy again. 
First, and worst of all, was the ruined dress. 
Then the remembrance of the way she had been 
treated by Caroline and Catherine ; and, last of 
all, her secrets ! — every one a little more im- 
portant and dreadful than the other. First the 
blue beads ; then Nathan’s knowledge of a 
119 


120 


A LITTLE MAID 


hidden entrance to Fort Ticonderoga ; and then 
"the dress. She was so taken up with her un- 
happy thoughts that she did not realize she had 
not answered Donald, or spoken to her aunt, 
until Donald, who was standing directly in 
front of her, demanded : “ What's the matter, 
Cousin Faith ? Does your tooth ache ? " 

Faith shook her head. “ I'm tired. I didn't 
have a good time at all. I don't like those 
girls," and, greatly to Donald’s alarm, she put 
her head on the arm of the sofa and began to cry. 

In an instant she felt Aunt Prissy's arm 
about her, and heard the kind voice say : 
“ Never mind, dear child. Don’t think about 
them." 

After a little Aunt Prissy persuaded Faith to 
lie down and rest until supper time. 

“ I'll sit here with my sewing and keep you 
company," said Aunt Prissy. “ It's an hour to 
candle-light." 

Donald tiptoed out of the room, but was 
back in a moment standing in the doorway and 
beckoning liis mother ; and Mrs. Scott went 
quietly toward him, closing the door softly be- 
hind her. 

“ It's those girls. The ones Faith went with 


OF TICONDEROGA 


I 2 1 


to the fort,” Donald explained in a whisper. 
“ They’re on the door-step.” 

Caroline and Catherine were standing, very 
neat and demure, at the front door. 

“ Has your little girl got home ? ” inquired 
Catherine in her most polite manner ; “ she ran 
off and left us,” added Caroline. 

“ Faith is safe at home,” responded Mrs. Scott 
in a pleasant voice. 

“ Why didn’t you ask them to supper, 
mother? You said you were going to,” de- 
manded Donald, as he watched the sisters walk 
down the path. 

“ Your cousin is too tired for company,” said 
his mother, who had planned a little festivity 
for Faith and her friends on their return, but 
had quickly decided that her little niece would 
be better pleased not to see the sisters again 
that day. 

“ All the more cake for us then,” said Donald 
cheerfully, for he had seen a fine cake on the 
dining-room table ; “ there comes the shoe- 
maker’s girl,” he added. “ Shall you ask her 
to stay, mother ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” and Mrs. Scott turned to give 
Louise a cordial welcome. 


122 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Faith is resting on the sofa, but you may go 
right in, Louise. I know she will be glad to 
see you,” she said, smiling down at the dark- 
eyed little girl. “ When are you coming to 
make us another visit ? ” 

“ Father said I might stay all night if you 
asked me,” responded Louise, who now felt sure 
that Mrs. Scott was her friend. 

“ We shall be glad indeed to have you, my 
dear. Let me take your cap and cape. And 
go in and cheer up Faithie, for I fear she has 
had an unhappy time,” said Mrs. Scott. 

Louise’s smile faded. She had never had a 
friend until Faith Carew came to Ticonderoga, 
and the thought that any one had made Faith 
unhappy made her ready to inflict instant 
punishment on the offenders. 

“ Oh, Louise ! I’m so glad it’s you ! ” ex- 
claimed Faith, as she heard the sound of 
Louise’s crutch stubbing across the floor. 

Louise sat down beside the crumpled little 
figure on the sofa. 

“ What did they do, Faith ? ” she demanded. 

Faith told the story of the walk to the fort ; 
of the disagreeable manner of both Caroline and 
Catherine toward her, and of their disappear- 


OF TICONDEROGA 


123 

ance as soon as they were inside the fort. But 
she did not tell of her efforts to find them, nor 
of Nathan Beaman’s appearance. 

“ They are hateful things ! ” Louise declared, 
“ but it won’t be long before they’ll go to 
Albany with their father. Oh ! ” she ended a 
little fearfully. u I ought not to have told 
that. It’s a secret,” she added quickly. 

“ No, it isn’t. They told me,” answered 
Faith, “ and if it were a secret I shouldn’t want 
to know it. I hate and despise secrets.” 

Louise looked at her friend with a little nod 
of comprehension. “ That’s because you have a 
secret,” she said. 

“How did you know, Louise?” and Faith 
wondered if it were possible Louise could know 
about the blue dress. 

“ I know,” said Louise. “ It’s dreadful to 
know secrets. I can stay all night. My father 
has gone to the fort. Oh ! ” and again she put 
her hand over her mouth. “ I ought not to 
have told that. He doesn’t want any one to 
know.” 

Faith leaned back against the sofa with a little 
sigh of discouragement. It seemed to her there 
was nothing but secrets. She wished she was 


A LITTLE MAID 


124 

with her mother and father in her pleasant 
cabin home, where everybody knew about every- 
thing. 

“ Where’s 1 Lady Amy 9 ? ” asked Louise, quite 
sure that such a beautiful doll would comfort 
any trouble. And her question made Faith 
remember that Louise was a guest. 

“ I’ll get her,” she said, and in a few moments 
“ Lady Amy ” was sitting on the sofa between 
the two little friends, and Faith was displaying 
the new dresses that Aunt Prissy had helped 
her make for the doll. 

“ Father says he will buy me a doll,” Louise 
announced, “and he’s going to get me a fine 
string of beads, too, when he goes away again ; ” 
for the shoemaker went away frequently on 
mysterious business. Many of the settlers were 
quite sure that he carried messages for the 
British officers to other forts ; but he came and 
went so stealthily that as yet no proof was held 
against him. 

“I have some blue beads. My father is 
going to bring them when he comes to see me,” 
said Faith. “ I hope yours will be just like 
them.” 

Louise shook her head a little doubtfully 


OF TICONDEROGA 


125 

“ I may never get them, after all. Father for- 
gets things/' she said. 

Before supper time Faith was in a much 
happier state of mind. She had helped Louise 
with her reading lesson ; they had played that 
the sofa was a throne and Lady Amy a queen, 
and that they were Lady Amy's daughters ; and 
the unpleasantness of the early afternoon had 
quite vanished when the candles were lighted, 
and supper on the table. 

The supper seemed a feast to the shoemaker's 
daughter. Every time she came to visit Faith 
Louise tasted some new dish, so daintily pre- 
pared that she was at once eager to learn to 
make it. Faith was hungry, too, and, as no 
reference was made to her trip to the fort, she 
enjoyed her supper ; and not until it was finished 
was she reminded of her troubles. 

“ To-morrow Louise may go to church with 
us, and you may wear your blue dress that you 
are so careful of," Aunt Prissy said. 

Faith made no response. She did not know 
what to do or say. She was so quiet that her 
aunt was sure her little niece was overtired, and 
soon after supper sent the little girls off* to bed. 

“What is the matter, Faith?" questioned 


A LITTLE MAID 


1 26 

Louise, when they were safely in the big 
chamber, with its high white bed, curtained 
windows, and comfortable chairs, and which to 
Louise seemed the finest bedroom in all the 
world. 

Faith threw herself face down on the bed. “ I 
don’t know what to do ! I don’t know what to 
do ! I’ve spoiled my blue dress ! ” she sobbed. 
There ! That was one secret the less, she 
thought. And Louise would never tell. “ I 
can’t go to church. I don’t darje tell Aunt 
Prissy about the dress. It was to be my best 
dress all winter,” she added. “ What shall I 
do, Louise? ” 

Louise shook her head. That Faith Carew, 
who seemed to her to be the most fortunate girl 
in all the world, should be in trouble was a far 
more dreadful thing to Louise than any trouble 
of her own. 

“ Let me see the dress,” she said ; “ perhaps it 
isn’t very bad.” 

Faith opened the trunk and pulled out the 
blue dress, which only that morning had been 
so fresh and dainty. Now it was rumpled, 
soiled and torn. Faith’s tears flowed afresh as 
she held it out for Louise to see. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


127 

“ I guess you’d better tell your aunt,” Louise 
said soberly. “ Tell her now, this minute,” she 
added quickly ; “ the sooner the better.” 

Faith looked at her in surprise. She wondered 
at herself that she had hidden the dress, or even 
thought of not telling Aunt Prissy. 

“ I’ll go now,” she said, and, still holding the 
dress, walked out of the room. She no longer 
felt afraid. As she went down the stairs she 
thought over all Aunt Prissy’s goodness toward 
her. “ I’ll tell her that I can wear my other 
dress for best,” she decided. 

The boys were already in bed ; Mr. Scott was 
attending to the evening chores, and Aunt 
Prissy was alone in the sitting-room when Faith 
appeared in the doorway. 

“ Aunt Prissy, look ! I tore my dress coming 
home to-day, and I was afraid to tell you ! Oh, 
Aunt Prissy ! ” for her aunt had taken Faith 
and the blue dress into her arms, and held the 
little girl closely as she said : 

“ Why, dear child ! How could you ever be 
afraid of me ? About a dress, indeed ! A torn 
dress is nothing. Nothing at all.” 

“ Louise, you are my very best friend,” Faith 
declared happily, as she came running into the 


128 


A LITTLE MAID 


room a few minutes later. “ I am so glad you 
made me tell.” 

Louise looked at Faith with shining eyes. 
She wished there was some wonderful thing 
that she could do for Faith as a return for all 
the happiness her friendship had brought into 
her life. 

The clouds had lifted. Faith had disposed of 
one secret, and felt the others would not matter 
very much. The two little friends snuggled 
down in the big feather bed and were soon fast 
asleep. 


CHAPTER XIII 


LOUISE MAKES A PRESENT 

The week following Faith’s visit to the fort 
proved rather a difficult one for her at school. 
Caroline and Catherine seemed to think they 
had played a fine joke, and accused her of run- 
ning home when they were waiting for her. 
Faith had resolved not to quarrel with them, 
but apparently the sisters meant to force her 
into trouble, if sneering words and ridicule 
could do it. 

“ You’re an American, so you don’t dare talk 
back,” sneered Catherine, one day when Faith 
made no reply to the assertion that Faith had 
meant to run home from the fort alone. 

“ Americans are not afraid,” replied Faith 

ickly. 

Catherine jumped up and down with delight 
at having made Faith angry. 

“ Oh, yes they are. My father says so. An- 
129 


A LITTLE MAID 


130 

other summer the English soldiers are going to 
take all the farms, and all you rebels will be 
our servants,” declared Catherine. 

“ Another summer the Green Mountain Boys 
will send the English soldiers where they will 
behave themselves,” declared Faith. “ Ethan 
Allen is braver than all the men in that fort.” 

“ I don’t care what you say. We’re not going 
to play with you any more, are we, Caroline ? ” 
said Catherine. “ You play with that horrid 
little lame girl.” 

“ She isn’t horrid. She is much better than 
you are. She wouldn’t say or do the things 
you do ! ” responded Faith, now too angry to 

care what she said, “ and she is my very best 

friend. I wouldn’t play with you anyway. 

You’re only Tory children,” and Faith walked 
off with her head lifted very proudly, feeling 
she had won the battle ; as indeed she had, for 
the sisters looked after her in silent horror. 

To be called “ only ” Tory children was a 
new point of view, and for several days they 
let Faith wholly alone. Then one morning 

they appeared at school with the news that it 
would be their last appearance there. 

“ We’re going to Albany, and never coming 


OF TICONDEROGA 


* 3 * 

back to this rough common place,” Catherine 
said. 

“ I am glad of it,” Faith replied sharply ; 
6t perhaps you will learn to be polite in Albany.” 

Some of the other children overheard these 
remarks, and a little titter of amusement and 
satisfaction followed Faith’s words. For the 
sisters had made no effort to be friendly with 
their schoolmates, and not one wa3 sorry to see 
the last of them. 

Faith awoke each morning hoping that her 
father would come that day, but it was toward 
the last of November before he appeared. There 
had been several light falls of snow ; the ground 
was frozen and ice formed along the shores of 
the lake. The days were growing shorter, and 
Mrs. Scott had decided that it was best for Faith 
to come straight home from school at night, 
instead of stopping in to help Louise with her 
lessons. But both the little girls were pleased 
with the new plan that Mrs. Scott suggested, for 
Louise to come home with Faith on Tuesdays 
and Fridays and stay all night. Louise was 
learning a good deal more than to read and 
write. Mrs. Scott was teaching her to sew 
neatly, and Faith had taught her to knit. She 


A LITTLE MAID 


132 

was always warmly welcomed by Donald and 
the two younger boys, and these visits were the 
bright days of the week for Louise. 

At last, when Faith had begun to think her 
father might not come after all, she returned 
from school one night to find him waiting for 
her. It was difficult to tell which of the two, 
father or daughter, was the happier in the joy 
of seeing each other. Mr. Carew had arrived in 
the early afternoon, and Aunt Prissy was now 
busy preparing the evening meal and Faith and 
her father had the sitting-room to themselves. 
There was so much to say that Faith hardly 
knew where to begin, after she had listened to 
all her father had to tell her of her mother. 

“ I would have come before, but I have been 
waiting for Kashaqua to come and stay with 
your mother/’ said Mr. Carew. “ She appeared 
last night, and will stay until I return. And 
your mother could have no better protector. 
Kashaqua is proud enough since we proved 
our confidence in her by sending you here in 
her charge.” 

Faith told him about Louise, and was surprised 
to see her father’s face grave and troubled. For 
Mr. Carew had heard of the shoemaker, and 


OF TICONDEROGA 


J 33 

was sure that he was ail English spy, and feared 
that his daughter’s friendship with Faith might 
get the Scotts into some trouble. 

“ She is my dearest friend. I tell her every- 
thing,” went on Faith. 

“ I’m afraid her father is not a friend to the 
settlers about here,” replied Mr. Carew. “ Be 
careful, dear child, that you do not mention 
any of the visitors who come to your uncle’s 
house. Your friend would mean no harm, but 
if she told her father great harm might come of 
it,” for Mr. Scott was doing his best to help the 
Americans. Messengers from Connecticut and 
Massachusetts with news for the settlers came to 
his house, and Mr. Scott found ways to forward 
their important communications to the men on 
the other side of Lake Champlain. 

“Aunt Prissy likes Louise; we all do,” 
pleaded Faith ; so her father said no more, 
thinking that perhaps he had been over- 
anxious. 

“ Your mother sent your blue beads. I ex- 
pect you would have been scolded a little for 
being a careless child if you had been at home, 
for she found them under the settle cushion the 
very day you left home,” said Mr. Carew, hand- 


A LITTLE MAID 


134 

ing Faith two small packages. “ The larger 
package is one that came from Esther Eldridge 
a few weeks ago,” he added, in answer to Faith’s 
questioning look. 

“ I wonder what it can be,” said Faith ; but 
before she opened Esther’s package she had 
taken the blue beads from the pretty box and 
put them around her neck, touching them with 
loving fingers, and looking down at them with 
delight. Then she unfastened the wrapping of 
the second package. 

“ Here is a letter! ” she exclaimed, and began 
reading it. As she read her face brightened, 
and at last she laughed with delight. “ Oh, 
father ! Read it ! Esther says to let you and 
mother read it. And she has sent me another 
string of beads ! ” And now Faith opened the 
other box, a very pretty little box of shining yel- 
low wood with “ Faith ” cut on the top, and took 
out another string of blue beads, so nearly like 
her own that it was difficult to tell them apart. 

Mr. Carew read Esther’s letter. She wrote 
that she had lost Faith’s beads, and had been 
afraid to tell her. “ Now I am sending you 
another string that my father got on purpose. 
I think you were fine not to say a word to any 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*35 

one about how horrid I was to ask for your 
beads. Please let your mother and father read 
this letter, so they will know how polite you 
were to company.” 

“ So it was Esther who lost the beads ! Well, 
now what are you going to do with two strings 
of beads? ” said her father smilingly. 

When Aunt Prissy came into the room Faith 
ran to show her Esther’s present and the letter, 
and told her of what had happened when she 
had so rashly promised to give Esther anything 
she might ask for. “ I am so glad to have my 
own beads back again. And most of all I am 
glad not to have the secret,” she said, thinking 
to herself that life was much happier when 
father and mother and Aunt Prissy could know 
everything that she knew. Then, suddenly, 
Faith recalled the fort, and the difficult climb 
down the cliff. “ But that’s not my secret. It’s 
something outside. Something that I ought not 
to tell,” she thought, with a little sense of satis- 
faction. 

“ But which string of beads did Esther send 
you ? I can’t tell them apart,” she heard Aunt 
Prissy say laughingly. 

When the time came for Mr. Carew to start 


A LITTLE MAID 


J136 

for home Faith was sure that she wanted to go 
home with him. And it was only when her 
father had promised to come after her early in 
March, “ or as soon as March stirs the fire, and 
gives a good warm day,” he said, that Faith 
could be reconciled and persuaded to let him go 
without her. She was glad indeed that it was a 
Tuesday, and that Louise would come to stay all 
night. Faith was eager to tell Louise the story 
of the blue beads, and to show her those Esther 
had sent, and those that Aunt Prissy had given 
her. Faith was sure that she herself could tell 
the beads apart, and equally sure that no one 
else could do so. 

Louise was waiting at the gate when Faith 
came from school. At the first sight of her 
Faith was hardly sure that it was Louise ; for 
the little girl at the gate had on a beautiful fur 
coat. It was made of otter skins, brown and 
soft. On her head was a cap of the same fur ; 
and, as Faith came close, she saw that Louise 
wore fur mittens. 

“ Oh, Louise ! Your coat is splendid,” she ex- 
claimed. “ And you look so pretty in it ; and 
the cap and mittens.” And Faith looked at 
Louise, smiling with delighted admiration. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


! 3 7 

Louise nodded happily. “ My father sent to 
Albany for them. A man brought them last 
night,” she said. “ You do truly like them ? ” 
she questioned, a little anxiously. 

“ Of course ! Any girl would think they 
were beautiful. Aunt Prissy will be just as 
glad as I am,” declared Faith. “ What’s in 
that big bundle ? ” she added, as Louise lifted a 
big bundle from beside the gate. 

But if Louise heard she made no reply, and 
when Faith offered to carry the package she 
shook her head laughingly. Faith thought it 
might be something that Louise wanted to work 
on that evening, and was so intent on telling of 
her father’s visit, the blue beads, and the prom- 
ised visit to her own dear home in March, that 
she did not really give much thought to the 
package. 

Aunt Prissy was at the window watching for 
the girls, with the three little boys about her. 
They all came to the door, and Aunt Prissy ex- 
claimed, just as Faith had ‘ done, over the 
beauty of Louise’s new possessions. “ But what 
is in that big bundle, Louise ? ” she asked, when 
the little lame girl had taken off coat, cap and 
mittens, and stood smiling up at her good friend. 


A LITTLE MAID 


138 

“ Once you said to me that a present was 
something that any one ought to be very happy 
to receive,” she said. 

“ Yes, I remember. And I know you are 
happy over your father’s gift,” replied Mrs. 
Scott. 

Louise nodded, and began unwrapping the 
bundle. 

“ This is my present to Faith,” she said, 
struggling to untie the heavy string. 

“ Let me, Louise ; let me,” and Donald was 
down on his knees and in a moment the bundle 
was opened, and Donald exclaimed : 

“ My ! It’s a coat exactly like Louise’s.” 

“ There’s a cap too, and mittens,” said Louise 
eagerly. “ Do try it on.” 

Donald stood holding the coat ; and Faith, as 
excited and happy as Louise, slipped on the 
coat, put the cap on her head and held out her 
hands for the mittens. 

“ Oh, Louise ! They are lovely. I may keep 
them, mayn’t I, Aunt Prissy ? ” she asked, turn- 
ing about for her aunt to see how nicely the 
coat fitted. 

Neither of the little girls noticed that Mrs. 
Scott looked grave and a little troubled, for she 


OF TICONDEROGA 


i39 

was thinking that this was almost too fine a 
present for her little niece to accept from the 
shoemaker’s daughter. But she knew that to 
refuse to let Faith accept it would not only 
make both the girls very unhappy, but that Mr. 
Trent would forbid Louise coming to the house, 
and so stop all her friendly efforts to help 
Louise ; so she added her thanks to those of 
Faith, and the two little friends were as happy 
as it is possible to be over giving and receiving 
a beautiful gift. Faith even forgot her blue 
beads in the pleasure of possessing the pretty 
coat and cap. 


CHAPTER XIV 


A BIKTHDAY 

“ Can you skate, Cousin Faith ?” asked 
Donald, on their way to school one morning in 
late December. There had been a week of 
very cold weather, and the ice of the lake glit- 
tered temptingly in the morning sun. 

“ No, I never had any skates, and there 
wasn’t a very good chance for skating at home,” 
answered Faith regretfully ; for many of the 
school children were eager for the sport, and 
told her of their good times on the ice. 

“ Mother has a pair of skates for you ; I 
heard her say so ; and father is going to teach 
you to skate,” responded Donald. “ I can 
skate,” he added, “ and after you learn we’ll 
have a fine time. Nat Beaman comes across 
the lake on the ice in no time.” 

It was rather difficult for Faith to pay atten- 
tion to her studies that day. She wondered 
when Aunt Prissy would give her the skates, 
and Uncle Phil teach her how to use them. 

140 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 141 

And when the schoolmaster announced that 
there would be no school for the remainder of 
the week Faith felt that everything was planned 
just right for her. Now, she thought, she 
could begin the very next day, if only the cold, 
clear weather would continue. 

The sun set clear and red that night, and the 
stars shone brightly. Faith was sure the next 
day would be pleasant. Donald found a chance 
to tell Faith that the skates were a “ secret.” 
“ But I didn’t know it until just a few minutes 
ago,” he explained, adding briefly : “ I hate 

secrets.” 

Faith agreed heartily. If the skates were a 
secret who could tell when Aunt Prissy would 
give them to her? She went to bed a little 
despondent, thinking to herself that as soon as 
she was clear of one secret another seemed 
ready to interfere with her happiness. But 
she was soon asleep, and woke up to find the 
sun shining in at her windows, and Aunt Prissy 
starting the fire with a shovelful of coals from 
the kitchen hearth. And what were those 
shining silver-like objects swinging from the 
bed-post ? 

“ Skates ! My skates ! ” she exclaimed, sitting 


A LITTLE MAID 


142 

up in bed. “ Oh, Aunt Prissy ! I did want 
them so to-day.’ 7 

“ They are your birthday present from your 
father and mother,” said Aunt Prissy, coming 
to the side of the bed, and leaning over to kiss 
her little niece. “ Eleven years old to-day I 
And you had forgotten all about it ! ” 

“ Why, so I am ! Why, so I did ! ” said Faith. 
“ Well, I like secrets that end this way. May 
I go skating right away, Aunt Prissy ? ” 

“ Breakfast first ! ” laughed Aunt Prissy, and 
was out of the room before Faith had noticed 
that lying across the foot of her bed was a dress 
of pretty plaided blue and brown wool. A slip 
of paper was pinned to it : “ For Faith to wear 
skating,” she read. 

“ Lovely ! Lovely ! ” exclaimed Faith, as she 
hastened to dress in front of the blazing fire. 

“ Why, here are new stockings, too,” she 
said, as she discovered a pair of warm knit 
brown and blue stockings. 

She came running into the dining-room, 
skates in hand, to be met by her uncle and 
little cousins with birthday greetings. Donald 
had at last finished the bow and arrows that he 
had promised her weeks before, and now gave 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*43 

them to her ; Hugh had made a “ quiver/’ a 
little case to hold the arrows, such as the In- 
dians use, of birch bark, and little Philip had a 
dish filled with molasses candy, which he had 
helped to make. 

It was a beautiful morning for Faith, and the 
broiled chicken and hot corn cake gave the 
breakfast an added sense of festivity. 

Soon after breakfast Mr. Scott, Donald and 
Faith were ready to start for the lake. Donald 
took his sled along. “ So we can draw Cousin 
Faith home, if she gets tired,” he explained, 
with quite an air of being older and stronger 
than his cousin. 

Aunt Prissy watched them start off, thinking 
to herself that Faith had never looked so pretty 
as she did in the fur coat and cap, with her 
skates swinging from her arm, the bright steel 
catching the rays of sunlight. 

They crossed the road, and went down the 
field to the shore. The hard crust gave Faith 
and Donald a fine coast down the slope, and 
both the children exclaimed with delight when 
Mr. Scott, running and sliding, reached the 
shore almost as soon as they did. 

Mr. Scott fastened on Faith’s skates, and held 


A LITTLE MAID 


144 

up by her uncle on one side and Donald on the 
other, Faith ventured out on the dark, shining 
ice. After a few lurches and tumbles, she found 
that she could stand alone, and in a short time 
could skate a little. 

4 ‘ Father, are those Indians?” asked Donald, 
pointing to a number of dark figures coming 
swiftly down the lake from the direction of the 
fort. 

Mr. Scott looked, and answered quickly : 
“ Yes. They have seen us ; so we will skate 
toward them. They will probably be friendly.” 
But he told Faith to sit down on the sled, and 
took fast hold of Donald’s hand. In a few 
moments the flying figures of the Indians were 
close at hand. There were six of them, young 
braves, and evidently racing either for sport, 
or bound on some errand of importance, for they 
sped straight past the little group, with a friendly 
call of salutation. 

“I wonder what that means,” said Mr. Scott, 
turning to watch them. “ It may be they are 
on their way to Albany as messengers from the 
fort,” he added, as if speaking to himself. 

“What kind of a message, Uncle Philip?” 
asked Faith. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*45 

“Heaven knows, child. Perhaps for troops 
enough to crush the American settlers, and drive 
them from their homes,” replied Mr. Scott. For 
news of the trouble in Boston, the blockade of 
the port, and the lack of supplies, had reached 
the men of the Wilderness ; and Mr. Scott knew 
that the English were planning to send a larger 
body of troops to Fort Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point, and the sight of these speeding Indians 
made him wonder if they might not be English 
messengers. 

“Couldn’t we stop them, uncle?” asked 
Faith, so earnestly that her uncle looked down 
at her in smiling surprise. 

“Couldn’t we? It will be dreadful to leave 
our homes,” said Faith. 

Mr. Scott swung the little ‘ girl gently 
around. “ Look ! ” he said, pointing down the 
lake. Already the Indians were but dark 
specks in the distance. “ If trouble comes there 
are brave Americans ready,” he said ; “ and now 
we had best be going toward home, or you will 
be too tired to come out this afternoon.” 

Faith and Donald were surprised to find that 
it was dinner time. They had a great deal to 
tell Aunt Prissy of their morning’s adventures. 


A LITTLE MAID 


146 

“ Could a little girl do anything to help, 
Aunt Prissy, if the English do try to drive us 
away?” Faith asked, as she helped her aunt 
clear the dining-room table. 

“ Who knows?” responded Mrs. Scott, cheer- 
fully. “ A brave girl might be of great service. 
But I do not believe the Tories will dare go much 
farther. At all events, we will be ready for them. 
Run to the door, Faithie ; there comes Louise.” 

Louise was as pleased over Faith’s presents as 
Faith herself, and delighted at the prospect of 
going to the lake with Faith and Donald that 
afternoon. Faith and Donald promised to draw 
her on the sled, and Aunt Prissy was to be their 
companion. 

“ Mother can skate like a bird,” Donald de- 
clared admiringly. 

Louise was no longer the sullen, sad-faced 
child whom Faith had first seen. She knew 
that she had friends ; she was included in all 
the pleasant happenings with Faith ; her father 
seemed to take pride in her appearance ; and 
best of all, she thought, she was to begin school 
when the spring term opened. To-day as they 
started off for the lake she was as full of happi- 
ness as any child could be. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


147 

There were a number of children and young 
people on the ice, skating and sliding. A 
number of boys had built a bonfire on the 
shore, where they could warm their chilled toes 
and fingers. 

Nathan Beaman was there, circling about in 
skilful curves, or darting off with long swift 
strokes, greatly to the admiration of the other 
children. He was quite ready to take the sled 
rope and give Louise a fine ride up the lake 
toward the fort, and back to the fire, and to 
guide Faith in her clumsy efforts to skate. 

Faith and Louise were warming their fingers 
at the fire when they heard loud voices and a 
commotion on the ice. 

“What is it? Indians ?” exclaimed Faith, 
looking around, for the settlers never knew at 
what moment the Indians might become mis- 
chievous. 

“No! Soldiers. Soldiers from the fort,” re- 
plied Aunt Prissy, drawing the little girls away 
from the fire. “ Perhaps they are only coming 
to warm their fingers.” 

Two red-coated soldiers came swinging close 
to the shore. They were talking loudly, and as 
they neared the fire they called out : “ Clear 


A LITTLE MAID 


148 

away from that fire. We’ll have no fires built 
>on this shore. Tis too good a way to send 
messages across the lake.” 

With a couple of stout sticks they beat out 
the flame, kicking snow over the coals, and 
extinguishing the last bit of fire. 

Mrs. Scott had helped Louise toward the ice, 
but Faith had lingered a moment. As one of 
the soldiers turned from the fire he found him- 
self facing a little fur-clad figure with flushed 
cheeks and angry eyes. 

“ That was our fire. You had no business to 
put it out,” Faith declared. 

“ Oh, ho ! What’s this ? ” laughed the soldier. 
“ Do you own this lake ? Or perhaps you are 
our new captain ? ” 

“ It is a mean thing to spoil our fire,” con- 
tinued Faith ; “ we wouldn’t do you any harm.” 

“ I’m not so sure about that,” replied the 
soldier. “ You have a pretty fierce expression,” 
and with another kick at the fire, and a “ good- 
bye, little rebel,” to Faith, the two soldiers 
started back to the fort. The skaters now, 
troubled and angry by the unfriendly inter- 
ference, were taking off their skates and starting 
for home. 



< < 


? 




DO YOU OWN THIS LAKE 










































































r 








































* 











. 

: 


































































OF TICONDEROGA 


149 

“ I wish American soldiers were in that fort,” 
said Nat Beaman. 

“ Why don’t you ask Colonel Allen to come 
and take it ? ” asked Faith earnestly ; she was 
quite sure that Ethan Allen could do anything 
he attempted. 

“ Ask him yourself,” responded Nathan 
laughingly. 

“ 1 guess I will,” Faith thought to herself, as 
she followed Aunt Prissy up the field toward 
home. “ Perhaps that would be doing some- 
thing to help Americans.” 

The more Faith thought about this the 
stronger became her resolve to ask Colonel 
Allen to take possession of Fort Ticonderoga. 
She was so silent all the way home that her 
companions were sure she was overtired. 
Louise had to return to her own home, and 
soon after supper Faith was ready to go to bed. 

“ I’ve got a real secret now ; even if I don’t 
like secrets,” she thought to herself. For she 
realized that she could not tell any one of her 
determination to find some way to ask Ethan 
Allen to capture Ticonderoga and send the 
troublesome English soldiers back to their own 
homes. 


CHAPTER XV 


NEW ADVENTURES 

“ It will be a good day to put a quilt in the 
frame,” said Aunt Prissy, the morning after 
Faith's birthday. “ You and Donald can help 
me with it right after breakfast ; then while 
you children are off to the lake I will mark the 
pattern.” 

“ Can't I help mark the pattern ? ” asked 
Faith, who had sometimes helped her mother, 
and thought it the most interesting part of the 
quilting. 

The quilting-frame, four long strips of wood, 
was brought into the sitting-room and rested 
on the backs of four stout wooden chairs, form- 
ing a square. The frame was held firmly to- 
gether at the corners by clamps and screws, so 
that it could be changed and adjusted to fit the 
quilt. 

This quilt was a very pretty one, Faith 
thought, as she watched Aunt Prissy fasten it to 
the frame with stout linen thread. It was made 
150 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 


151 

of bits of bright woolen cloth. There were 
pieces of Faith’s new dresses, and of the dresses 
made for Louise, and they were neatly stitched 
together in a diamond-shaped pattern. Faith 
had made a good many of these, and so had 
Louise in the evenings as they sat with Aunt 
Prissy before the open fire. 

First of all Aunt Prissy had fastened the lin- 
ing for the quilt to the frame. Over this she 
spread an even layer of soft wool, and then over 
this the bright patchwork was spread and 
fastened. And now it was ready to mark the 
quilting pattern. 

Aunt Prissy took a ball of firm twine and 
rubbed it well with white chalk. The cord was 
fastened tightly across the surface of the quilt. 

“ Now,” said Aunt Prissy, and Faith took the 
tight cord up and “ snap ” it went when her 
fingers released their hold, leaving a straight 
white mark across the quilt. Back and forth 
they stretched the cord and “ snapped ” the 
line, until the quilt was marked in a checker- 
board pattern of white lines, which the quilters 
would follow with their neat stitches. 

“ I believe I’ll have a quilting bee to-morrow,” 
said Aunt Prissy. “ When you and Donald 


A LITTLE MAID 


152 

start out you can go down and ask the minis- 
ter’s wife, and be sure and say that we shall 
expect Mr. Fairbanks to tea. Then ask Neigh- 
bor Willis and her husband, and Mrs. Tuttle. 
I think that will be a pleasant number.” 

“ May I help quilt? ” asked Faith. 

“ Of course you may. Tell Mrs. Tuttle to 
bring her daughter. And now, my dear, in 
what manner will you ask our friends to the 
quilting party and to tea ? ” asked Aunt Prissy, 
looking down at her little niece with her pretty 
smile. 

u I shall rap at the minister’s door first, of 
course ; and when Mrs. Fairbanks opens the 
door I shall make my best curtsy, like this : ” 
and Faith took a bit of her skirt in each hand, 
and bent in a very pretty curtsy indeed ; “ and 
I shall say : ‘ Good-morning, Mrs. Fairbanks. 
My Aunt Prissy will be very happy if you and 
the minister will come to her quilting bee to- 
morrow afternoon and stay to tea.’ ” 

Aunt Prissy nodded approvingly. “I think 
that will do very nicely indeed. Now put on 
your things and run along. Donald is waiting.” 

Donald and “ Scotchie ” were at the door when 
Faith was ready to start. The big dog barked 


OF TICONDEROGA 


1 S 3 

his delight at being allowed to go with the 
children. 

“ I’d like to harness him to the sled ; he could 
draw us both,” suggested Donald, but Faith was 
sure that “ Scotchie ” would upset the sled ; so 
her cousin gave up the project. 

“ We can go on the lake just below Mrs. 
Tuttle’s house, and skate along the shore home ; 
can’t we, Cousin Faith ? ” asked Donald, after 
they had stopped at Mrs. Willis’ house and that 
of the clergyman. 

“ Let’s call and get Louise,” suggested Faith. 

“ Oh, there won’t be time. Look, there goes 
an English soldier into the shoemaker’s now. 
The boys all say that the shoemaker is an Eng- 
lish spy,” answered Donald. 

They were nearly in front of Mr. Trent’s shop 
now, and Faith noticed that the soldier was the 
one who had been on the lake the previous day, 
and who had called her “ a little rebel.” 

“Come to the back door, Donald. Just a 
moment, while I speak to Louise. And make 
‘ Scotchie ’ keep still,” said Faith, turning into 
the path leading to the back door. 

“ Scotchie ” was barking fiercely as if he re- 
sented the sight of the redcoat. 


A LITTLE MAID 


J 54 

The soldier turned quickly. “ Stop that dog 
before I put a bullet into him,” he called. 

“ He's afraid,” Donald whispered to Faith, 
with a word to “ Scotchie,” and Faith ran up 
the path and entered the house. 

Donald and “ Scotchie ” stood waiting, the 
dog growling now and then, whenever the sol- 
dier moved about on the door-step. It was evi- 
dent that the shoemaker was not at home, for 
no answer came to the raps. In a moment 
Louise appeared at the door and told the man 
that her father was not at home. 

“ Send that boy with the dog about his busi- 
ness,” said the soldier. 

“ 'Tis the public road, sir ; and 'tis not likely 
he'd mind what I might say,” responded Louise 
smilingly, as she closed the door. 

Donald rested his mittened hand on “ Scotch- 
ie’s” head. 

“ You needn't be afraid. I won't let him 
hurt you,” Donald called. 

The soldier came down the path scowling. 

“ I've a great mind to kick the beast,” he said. 

“ You'd better not,” said Donald. 

Evidently the man agreed, for he went past 
as quickly as possible. Donald watched him. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*55 

with a little scornful smile. The boy was not 
old enough to realize, as Faith did, the differ- 
ence between these hired soldiers of England, 
and the brave Americans who were ready to 
undertake any sacrifice to secure the freedom 
of their country, but he was a brave boy, and 
thought poorly of this soldier’s courage. 

Louise listened to Faith’s hurried account of 
the proposed quilting party. 

“ And you must come too, Louise,” she con- 
cluded, “and come early.” 

Louise promised. She had never been to a 
quilting party, and was sure that it would be a 
great experience. She could not go to the lake, 
for she must not leave the house until her father 
returned. 

When Faith rejoined Donald he told her of 
the soldier’s evident fear of the dog. “ I don’t 
see what made 1 Scotchie ’ growl so,” added 
Donald. 

“ I’m glad he did,” responded Faith. “ Come 
on ; let’s hurry, or we won’t have much time 
on the ice,” so off they went across the field. 

But as they reached the shore they looked at 
each other questioningly. The lake seemed to 
be in the possession of the redcoats. At least 


A LITTLE MAID 


156 

half the garrison of the fort were on the ice ; 
skating, racing, and evidently enjoying them- 
selves. 

“ We had better go home,” said Faith, and 
Donald made no objections. The two children, 
disappointed of their morning's sport, went 
slowly back toward home. 

“ That's the way they take everything,” de- 
clared Faith, renewing her promise to herself 
to try in some way to let Ethan Allen know 
how easy it would be to drive the English from 
Ticonderoga. 

“ I am glad you did not venture on the ice,” 
Aunt Prissy said when Donald and Faith told 
their story. “ The English become less friendly 
every day. Well, we will not think of them 
when there is so much to do as we have before 
us.” 

“ I asked Louise to come to the quilting,” 
said Faith. 

“ That's right ; and I am going to send Don- 
ald to ask a number of your schoolmates to 
come in the evening. The moon will be full to 
light them home, and you children can have 
the kitchen to yourselves after supper, and make 
molasses candy,” said Aunt Prissy. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


l S7 

This seemed a very delightful idea to both 
Faith and Donald. The thought of making 
candy reminded Faith of Esther Eldridge, and 
of the bear's sudden appearance at the kitchen 
door. Mr. Carew had promised Faith to ask 
Esther's father to bring her to visit Faith on 
her return home, and Faith often thought of 
how much she and Esther would have to tell 
each other. 

That afternoon Faith helped her Aunt Prissy 
in preparing for the quilting. Aunt Prissy was 
cooking a ham, and the brick oven held some 
of the spiced cakes that the children liked so 
well. Donald cracked a big dish full of hick- 
ory-nuts, while Faith rubbed the pewter plates 
and pitchers until they shone like silver. The 
two younger boys ran in and out of the kitchen, 
thinking a quilting party must be a great af- 
fair. 

Mr. Scott had been cutting wood at the edge 
of the forest, and did not return until nearly 
dusk ; and when he arrived there was a man 
with him — evidently a traveler, for there was 
a pack on his back, and he was tired. Faith 
heard her Aunt Prissy call the stranger by 
name, and welcome him. 


A LITTLE MAID 


158 

“ Why, it is Esther’s father. Of course it 
is ! ” she exclaimed suddenly. 

Mr. Eldridge told her all about Esther, and 
promised that his little daughter should again 
visit the Wilderness cabin. Faith wondered 
what business it was that took Mr. Eldridge 
through the Wilderness and up and down the 
lakes. Long afterward she discovered that he 
was one of the trusted messengers of the Amer- 
ican leaders, and through him the American 
settlers along the lake shores and through the 
New Hampshire Grants were kept informed of 
what the English were doing. She did not 
know that he underwent constant danger. 

The little boys went early to bed that night, 
but Faith was not sleepy. The firelight in the 
sitting-room made dancing pictures on the wall, 
as she sat in a small chair at the end of the 
sofa. The sound of Aunt Prissy’s knitting 
needles made her think of the silvery tinkle of 
the mill-stream under the winter ice in her 
Wilderness home. Mr. Eldridge and her uncle 
were talking quietly. She heard her uncle say 
that : “ Ticonderoga was the lock to the gate of 
the country,” and Mr. Eldridge respond that 
until Crown Point and Ticonderoga were taken 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*59 

by the Americans that none of the colonies 
could be safe. 

“ If there were any way to get into Fort 
Ticonderoga,” said Mr. Eldridge. “ They say 
there’s a secret passageway.” 

Faith was all attention at this. She quite 
forgot that she was listening to conversation 
not intended for her ears, as she heard her 
uncle answer : 

“ There is such a door, but no way for an 
American to find it. If some one could get en- 
trance to the fort in that way, discover just the 
plan of the place, and escape, it would be of 
the greatest service to the Americans when the 
right time came to take the fort.” 

14 Time for bed, Faithie,” said Aunt Prissy, 
and, very reluctantly, the little girl went up- 
stairs. She was thinking of all that her uncle 
and Mr. Eldridge had said, and of the un- 
guarded door opening on the cliff at the fort. 
She wondered if she could make her way up that 
steep cliff as easily as Nathan had declared he 
had so often done. 

“ Perhaps Nathan will help capture the fort,” 
she thought. “ Anyway he could show the 
Green Mountain Boys the way. If I were at 


i6o 


A LITTLE MAID 


home I would put a note in that cave near 
Lake Dunmore and tell Ethan Allen about 
Nathan.” 

Only Ethan Allen and a few of his friends 
knew of this mountain cave, and it was there 
messages were left for him by the men of the 
Wilderness. 


CHAPTER XVI 


LOUISE DISAPPEARS 

The guests for the quilting party arrived at 
an early hour in the afternoon. All that morn- 
ing Faith and Aunt Prissy were busy. Dishes 
filled with red apples were brought up from the 
cellar ; cakes were made ready, and the house in 
order before dinner time. 

Only one little girl, Jane Tuttle, had been 
asked to come in the early afternoon. Jane was 
about Faith’s age, and at school they were in 
the same classes. She was not very tall, and 
was very fat. Jane was one of the children 
whom Caroline and Catherine Young had taken 
especial delight in teasing. 

“ Jane, Jane ! Fat and plain ; 

With a button nose and turned-in toes,” 

they would call after her, until the little girl 
dreaded the very sight of them. When Faith 
161 


162 


A LITTLE MAID 


had proved that she was not afraid of the sisters 
Jane Tuttle became her steadfast admirer, and 
was greatly pleased to come in the afternoon 
with her mother. But she was surprised to find 
Louise Trent there before her, and evidently 
very much at home. However, she was too 
kind-hearted a child not to be pleasant and 
polite to the lame girl, and Louise was now as 
ready to make friends as, before knowing Faith, 
she had been sullen and unfriendly. 

Each of the girls was encouraged to set a few 
neat stitches in the quilt. Then, on the arrival 
of Mrs. Fairbanks and Mrs. Lewis, Aunt Prissy 
told Faith that if she wanted to take the little 
girls to her own room she might do so. 

There was a glowing fire on the hearth, and 
Faith was pleased for Jane to see her pleasant 
chamber, and to introduce “ Lady Amy.” 

“ I wish I had brought my doll,” said Jane, 
as the little girls gathered in front of the fire. 
“ Mine is one my mother made for me.” 

“ There, Louise ! We could make you a 
doll ! ” exclaimed Faith, knowing how much 
her friend had always wished for a doll of her 
own. 

But Louise shook her head. “ I guess I am 


OF TICONDEROGA 163 

too old for dolls; I'm twelve,” she said slowly, 
“ and I don’t have time to make dresses for dolls 
now that I’m learning to read and write. You 
see,” and she turned to Jane, “ I keep house for 
my father.” 

Jane looked at Louise, wondering to herself 
why she had ever imagined that Louise Trent 
was a girl that she could not have for a friend. 
Why, Louise was really pretty I thought fat little 
Jane, looking admiringly at the smooth black 
hair, and the neat and pretty dress. And so 
nearly grown-up, too. Twelve years old ! Jane 
resolved to go and see Louise, and to ask her to 
come for a visit. 

“ I shall always play with dolls,” she heard 
Faith declare. “ I’d like to have a regiment of 
dolls, and play games with them. Wouldn’t it 
be fun to have dolls that we could make up 
names for, and then have them do all sorts of 
things? ” 

Louise and Jane agreed that would be a fine 
game. 

“ We could dress up the pillows on your bed 
for dolls,” suggested Louise. 

“ Yes, and put my dresses on them,” re- 
sponded Faith eagerly, running to the closet 


A LITTLE MAID 


164 

and bringing out the blue dress, a skirt and a 
small shawl. It was not long before two 
“ cushiony " figures, as large as Jane, were 
seated on the bed. 

“ Let's put our coats and caps on them, Faith ; 
and when the other girls come this evening 
we'll make them think the pillows are com- 
pany," suggested Louise. 

Jane jumped about the room with delight as 
Faith and Louise adjusted the caps and fur coats. 

“ We'll introduce them as Annie Snow and 
Mary White," said Faith. “ It will be fun to 
see what the girls will say." 

Four little girls were expected, and several 
boy friends of Donald's. Aunt Prissy wondered 
a little at Faith's eagerness to take the girls 
directly up-stairs on their arrival, but she was 
greatly pleased to see that Louise, Jane and 
Faith were evidently having a delightful time. 

It was nearly dusk when the little visitors 
arrived, and Faith's room was rather dim and 
shadowy. The little girls coming in were rather 
surprised to find that there were strangers, evi- 
dently just arrived, sitting on Faith’s bed. 

“ Girls, these are two of my best friends, An- 
nie Snow and Mary White," said Faith, trying 


OF TICONDEROGA 165 

hard not to laugh, as her schoolmates bowed po- 
litely and greeted the stout figures on the bed, 
who, apparently, did not hear the introduc- 
tions. 

Jane, giggling with delight, circled around the 
newcomers ; while Louise seated herself on the 
bed and began talking to Annie Snow. Faith 
endeavored to make the newcomers at ease, and 
it was not long before she had to run down-stairs 
to help her aunt with the supper, leaving Louise 
and Jane to carry on the game. 

The children were to have their supper in the 
kitchen. The tables for young and old had been 
spread before the arrival of any of the guests, so 
there was but little for Aunt Prissy and Faith to 
do before calling the guests to supper. 

Louise was the last one to enter the kitchen, 
her face radiant with fun and delight at the suc- 
cess of “ Annie Snow ” and “ Mary White.” She 
found a chance to tell Faith that “ Annie ” and 
“ Mary ” had managed to say that they didn't 
feel like eating supper, and that the girls had 
not yet discovered the joke. 

“ We'll bring them down after supper,” Faith 
whispered. 

“ Are your friends from the Wilderness?” 


i66 


A LITTLE MAID 


asked Peggy Tibbetts, the oldest girl of the party, 
as Faith sat down beside her. 

“ No,” Faith answered slowly. “ They are 
both coming down after supper, and I know you 
will be surprised when I tell you that they live 
right in this house.” 

Peggy Tibbetts w r as surprised. She looked 
almost frightened, and lost no time in whisper- 
ing this information to the other girls ; so that 
when Faith announced that she would run up- 
stairs and ask “ Annie ” and “ Mary ” to come 
down there was an anxious silence. 

Faith asked Jane to go with her, and in a few 
moments they returned with the two clumsy 
“ girls.” In the brightly-lit kitchen the dressed- 
up figures could no longer be mistaken, and the 
children were greatly pleased and amused by 
“ Annie ” and “ Mary,” who were established in 
straight-backed chairs, and urged to share in the 
supper. 

There was so much laughter and merriment 
in the kitchen that Aunt Prissy looked in for a 
moment. “ Faithie dear, who are the little girls 
in the corner? ” she asked. To Louise and Jane 
this seemed a triumph indeed, and when Aunt 
Prissy, entering into the spirit of the affair, in- 


OF TICONDEROGA 


167 

sisted upon being introduced to “ Annie ” and 
“ Mary,” and said she was very glad to see them, 
the children danced about, greatly pleased with 
this unexpected fun. 

When the clock struck nine the grown people 
and children were all ready to start for home. 
Louise was to stay all night with Faith. As the 
children said their good-byes and stepped out 
into the snow-trodden path they called back mes- 
sages to “ Annie ” and “ Mary.” The full moon 
shone down so brightly that the path could be 
plainly seen, and in the distance the dark line 
of the forest, and the heights of Ticonderoga. 

“ It’s the best time I ever had in all my life,” 
declared Jane, as she trotted off holding fast to 
her mother’s hand. 

And Faith said the same as she bade Aunt 
Prissy good-night. “ It’s fun to have parties, 
isn’t it, Aunt Prissy,” she said, “ and all the girls 
are so pleasant.” 

“ That is what makes the good time, isn’t it ? ” 
responded her aunt. 

“ I hope it won’t storm to-morrow,” Louise 
said, as the two girls prepared for bed. 

“ What makes you think of a storm ? ” ques- 
tioned Faith. 


1 68 


A LITTLE MAID 


11 There was a ring around the moon/’ said 
Louise ; “ that’s one sign, and the air felt like 
snow.” 

But Faith was too happy over the evening to 
think about weather signs. She had, for that 
night, quite forgotten about the English soldiers 
and her resolve to send a message to Ethan 
Allen. 

Louise’s predictions proved right; for when 
the morning came snow was falling steadily, and 
great drifts were heaped up against the walls and 
fences. A chill east wind came sweeping across 
the ice-bound lake, and it was plain that there 
would be no more skating for many days. 

For nearly a week trails and roads were im- 
passable. Mr. Trent, knowing that Louise was 
safe and happy with her friends, made no effort 
to reach her ; and the Scotts were glad to keep 
indoors, safe from the fierce cold and wind. 

Donald and Hugh dug a tunnel to the shop, 
and Mr. Scott kept a path open to the barn, 
while indoors Aunt Prissy kept the two girls 
busy and happy. She declared that she had 
been hoping for a day to dye some recently 
woven blankets, and asked Faith what color she 
thought would be best. 


OF TICONDEROGA 169 

“ But how can you make any color you like, 
Aunt Prissy? ” asked Faith. 

“ Perhaps not * any color I like/ but I have a 
good lot of colors to choose from/’ replied Aunt 
Prissy. “ People who live in the wilderness 
need only to step outdoors to find almost any- 
where some plant that furnishes dye, and I 
gather my dye-plants and roots every summer, 
as I am sure your own mother does.” 

“ I know mother always gathers the dogwood 
roots to make a scarlet dye. Kashaqua told her 
about that,” answered Faith. “The Indians use 
it for their feathers.” 

“ And I am sure your mother dyed your 
brown dress with the shells of the hickory-nut,” 
said Aunt Prissy, “ and the yellow root is what 
I used to color the covers on the chair cushions 
in your room.” 

This was all new to Louise, and she listened 
eagerly, thinking to herself that she would color 
the faded quilts on her own bed ; and that an- 
other summer she would gather a good supply of 
the roots and plants of which Mrs. Scott spoke. 

“ The pokeweed berries will color a good red,” 
continued Mrs. Scott ; “ but for scarlet we must 
use the dogwood roots.” 


A LITTLE MAID 


170 

Then Mrs. Scott showed the little girls her 
bundles of dyestuffs, each plant and root tied up 
and marked carefully with its name and use. 
A large number of the dogwood roots were put 
into a huge iron kettle, the kettle filled with 
water, and hung over the fire. When it had 
boiled for several hours there would be a good 
scarlet dye in which the new blankets would be 
dipped. Then they would be hung to dry in 
the shed. 

The next day the sun came out and shone 
brightly down on a white and glistening world, 
and that afternoon Mr. Trent came to take 
Louise home. He would not come in, but 
waited at the door until she was ready to go. 
But he thanked Mrs. Scott for all her kindness 
to his little daughter. 

Faith was quite sure that Mr. Trent must be 
sorry to be a Tory instead of a loyal American. 
“ But I suppose he can’t help it,” she decided, 
and always thought of her friend’s father as un- 
fortunate. 

Faith and Louise always had so many things 
to talk about that they seldom spoke of the red- 
coats ; and when they did Louise seemed to 
dislike them more than Faith herself. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


171 

Faith and Donald both had snow-shoes, and 
on their way to school, a few days later, Faith 
stopped at the shoemaker’s door. But there 
was no response to her knock, and when she 
tried the door it would not open. She wondered 
where Louise and her father could be, but not 
until the next day did she hear that the shoe- 
maker and Louise had left their home, appar- 
ently not to return. They had gone with a 
number of English families, on sledges, down 
the river, without a good-bye to the kind friends 
who had grown to love the little lame girl. 

“ I know Louise couldn’t help it,” Faith de- 
clared, when Aunt Prissy told her the news. 
“ She will write to me, I know she will,” but it 
was a long time before any word came to her 
from her little friend. And now Faith became 
more and more eager for March to come, that 
she might once more see her father and mother, 
and make some attempt to send a message to 
Ethan Allen. 


CHAPTER XVII 


FAITH AGAIN VISITS THE FORT 

The night after hearing that Louise had gone 
Faith felt more nearly homesick than at any 
time since her arrival at her aunt’s house. 
Everything seemed to remind her of her friend. 
Even “ Lady Amy ” made her remember that 
Louise had never owned a doll of her own. 

“ And I had meant to give Louise one of my 
strings of blue beads just as soon as I had asked 
Aunt Prissy,” she thought, regretfully, holding 
up the pretty beads, and recalling how much 
Louise had admired them. 

“ Aunt Prissy,” she called, running down the 
stairs and into the sitting-room, “ may I not 
give Louise one of my bead necklaces ? ” 

Aunt Prissy looked up in amazement. 

“But how can you, Faithie, dear? We do 
not know where she is,” she answered. 

“ We shall know some time. Of course we 
shall. And when we do, may I ? I meant to 
ask you the day of the quilting,” said Faith. 

172 


OF TICONDEROGA 


173 

11 Of course you may, child. I was sure that 
you would want to when Esther sent the beads. 
I only hope you may have a chance to give 
them to Louise at an early day,” responded 
Aunt Prissy. 

This decision proved a comfort to Faith. As 
the weeks went by, and no news of the shoe- 
maker and his little daughter was received, she 
would often look at the string of blue beads 
which she meant to give her friend. “ I wish 
I had given them to her on my birthday,” she 
thought regretfully, “ but she shall have them 
some time,” for Faith was quite sure that it 
could not be very long before Louise would find 
a way to let them know where she was. 

March came, “ stirring the fire ” vigorously 
from the day of its arrival. The ice in the lake 
broke up rapidly, the snow melted, and by the 
middle of the month Faith began to expect her 
father. Nathan Beaman, in his clumsy boat, 
had crossed from Shoreham a number of times. 
He often teasingly reminded Faith of her plan 
to ask Ethan Allen to come and take possession 
of Fort Ticonderoga. 

“ You’d better hurry. The British will be 
sending men down from Canada by early sum- 


A LITTLE MAID 


*74 

mer, and then ’twill be of no use for the Green 
Mountain Boys to try to capture the fort,” he 
said. 

“ How do you always know so much about 
what the English are going to do ? ” asked Faith. 

The children were all in the shop. Nathan 
was helping Donald in the construction of a 
small boat, and Faith and the two younger boys 
had been filling a basket with chips and shav- 
ings to carry into the house. 

“ Can’t help knowing,” answered Nathan. “ I 
hear the men at the fort talking about all their 
fine plans to own all this country every time I 
go there.” 

“ Nathan,” and Faith lowered her voice so 
that the other children would not hear, “you 
know I promised not to tell about the door at 
the fort ? ” 

Nathan nodded ; he was looking at her 
sharply, and half feared that she was about to 
tell him that she had broken the promise. 

“ Well, of course I shan’t tell. But if my 
telling some American would help send the 
soldiers away, mayn’t I tell then ? ” and Faith’s 
face was very serious as she waited for his re- 
sponse. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


l 75 

“Yes. I meant you weren’t to tell Louise 
Trent, or those Young girls,” said Nathan. 
“ And don’t tell any one unless you are sure 
it will be of some use. You see I may tell, if 
it comes to that.” 

Faith drew a long breath. “Thank you, 
Nathan,” she said, in so serious a tone that 
the boy laughed aloud. 

“ You are as grave about that old fort as my 
father and the Shoreham men are. You ought 
to hear my father tell about the big fight here 
in 1758. He was a young man then, and the 
French held the fort, and the English were 
after it.” 

Donald had stopped his work, and he and 
Hugh were listening eagerly. “ Tell us, tell us 
about it,” said Donald. 

“ Father says there’ll never be anything like 
it again. All the Colonies sent men, and Lord 
Howe brought thousands of English soldiers. 
England was our friend then,” said Nathan. 
“ They had thousands of boats, and rafts to 
carry their big guns. They had big flags, and 
music; and they didn’t lurk or skulk about. 
Their boats came right down the lake in fine 
shape ; they landed, and marched toward the fort. 


A LITTLE MAID 


176 

But the French were ready for them, and beat 
them back. However, the next year the Eng- 
lish and Americans drove the French out.” 

“ I guess the English are brave,” Donald ven- 
tured, returning to his work. 

“ Of course they are. Why, we’re all English 
ourselves,” declared Nathan, “and that’s why 
we won’t stand being treated so unfairly. We 
can’t stand it.” 

“ I’m not English. I’m an American,” said 
Faith ; “ and when the Americans take Ticon- 
deroga that will be American too.” 

“ That’s the way to talk, little maid,” said a 
gruff voice, and the children turned quickly 
toward the door. 

“I didn’t mean to listen,” and a tall man, 
dressed in deerskin jacket and trousers, with 
moccasins, and wearing a fur cap, stepped into 
the shop, resting his musket against the wall 
near the dqor. “ Shouldn’t have dared come 
in if I had not heard I was in good company,” 
he said laughingly, his sharp eyes looking care- 
fully about the shop. 

Nathan, with a half-muttered word of good- 
bye to the children, had started toward the door; 
but the newcomer’s hand grasped his arm. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


1 77 

“ Wait a minute ! ” he said, swinging the boy 
about. “ I'm not so sure about letting you 
start off so smart. You may head straight for 
the fort, for all I know. What’s your name ? ” 

Nathan stood silent. His face flushed, but he 
looked the newcomer steadily in the face. 

“ Let go of Nathan I ” said Donald sturdily, 
clutching at the man’s arm, and kicking at his 
legs. “ This isn’t your shop. You let go of 
him.” 

“ I guess I’d better,” laughed the man, tak- 
ing a firm hold of Donald and looking at both 
his captives in evident amusement. “ Well, 
Philip Scott, what sort of a hornet’s nest have 
you here ? ” he called out, and Faith turned 
around to see her Uncle Philip standing in the 
doorway. “ I’ll not let go these men until you 
promise to defend me,” continued the stranger. 

“ You are safe, Phelps,” responded Mr. Scott, 
coming forward and, as Nathan and Donald 
were released, giving the stranger a cordial wel- 
come. Nathan vanished without a word, but 
on Mr. Scott’s saying that he was the son of 
Mr. Beaman of Shoreham, the stranger was re- 
assured. It was evident he did not wish his 
arrival to become known at the fort. 


A LITTLE MAID 


178 

Faith heard the stranger say that he had 
1 come from Hartford, and that he would cross 
to the New Hampshire Grants as soon as he 
could safely do so. 

“ Fd like to look in at Fort Ticonderoga if I 
could without the soldiers knowing it,” she 
heard him say, and her uncle replied that it 
would be impossible. 

Faith was sure that this stranger was on some 
errand to the Green Mountain Boys, for he 
spoke of Remember Baker, and Seth Warner. 

“ I’d like to take Colonel Allen a plan of the 
fort,” she heard him say, as she helped Aunt 
Prissy prepare an early dinner for their visitor. 

Faith wished that she was grown up. Then, 
she was sure, she would dare to tell this stranger 
of the way up the cliff to the unguarded en- 
trance. “ He could go up this evening, and 
then he could tell Colonel Allen all about it,” 
she thought, and before dinner was over she 
had resolved to find a way to tell him. But 
after a talk with Mr. Scott the visitor had de- 
clared he must get a few hours sleep. He said 
that he had been on the trail since very early 
that morning, and must be off again soon after 
sunset. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


1 79 

“Run in the sitting-room, Faithie, and fix a 
cushion for Mr. Phelps/' said Aunt Prissy, and 
the little girl started obediently. 

“ I'll tell him now," she resolved, and as the 
tall man followed her she said quickly : “ I 
know how you can get into the fort and no one 
see you. It's a secret. I'll show you. But 
Uncle Phil won't let me if you tell him." 

“ I'll not tell him. You are a brave child. 
Tell me quickly," responded the tall stranger. 

“ There's a canoe under the big willow at the 

bottom of the field " began Faith, but he 

interrupted. 

“ Yes ! Yes ! I know. I am to cross the 
lake in it. But how can I get into the fort?" 

“ I could show you. I can't tell you," an- 
swered Faith. 

“ Then 'tis of small use. Harm might come 
to you, child," he answered, stretching himself 
out on the long settle with a tired sigh. 

Faith went slowly back to the kitchen. Here 
was the very chance she had so long hoped for, 
and this stranger would not let her attempt it. 

All that afternoon Faith was very quiet. She 
walked across the fields to the shore and looked 
at the big willow tree where the canoe was con- 


180 A LITTLE MAID 

cealed. She looked off toward Mount Defiance, 
and Mount Hope, rising clearly against the sky, 
as if standing sentinels for Fort Ticonderoga. 

“ I’ll try, anyway,” she said to herself, as she 
turned toward home. 

After supper she went early up-stairs. But 
she did not undress. She knew that her uncle 
would not go to the lake shore with his visitor, 
for that might attract the attention of some 
hunter or fisherman. It would not be long 
before Mr. Phelps would start. There was no 
time to lose. She put on her fur cap, and a 
knit jacket, and then peered out of the window. 
The sky was clear, and the moon made it al- 
most as light as day. The sound of the falls 
came clearly through the quiet air. 

“ He could find his way up the cliff as plainly 
as if it were daylight,” thought Faith, as she 
turned from the window. 

She opened her door and closed it silently be- 
hind her. Her cousins were in bed, her uncle 
and aunt in the sitting-room with their visitor. 
Faith would have to pass the sitting-room door 
and go through the kitchen ; the slightest noise 
would betray her. She had put on her mocca- 
sins, the ones Kashaqua had given her, and she 



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WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE 
















































































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OF T1C0NDER0GA 


1 8 1 


stepped cautiously, without a sound. In a few 
moments she was safely out-of-doors and run- 
ning across the field. She crouched down in 
the canoe and waited. 

Faith did not hear or see the stranger as he 
came toward the shore— not until he grasped the 
canoe to push it into the water. 

“ King of Britain ! ” he whispered under his 
breath, when Faith spoke his name. “ What are 
you doing here ? ” 

“ I’m going to show you the way into the fort. 
Yes ! ’Twill take not more than an hour or two. 
Then you can leave me here. ’Twill do me no 
harm, and you will tell Colonel Allen about the 
fort,” said Faith, in a whisper. 

The man slid the canoe into the water. “ You 
are well-named, Faith,” he responded. “ Well, 
’tis a chance, and no man will harm a little 
maid,” and with a stroke of his paddle he sent 
the canoe clear of the willows and headed toward 
the fort. 

“ Keep close to the shore,” whispered Faith, 
peering anxiously ahead. 

Several hours later Faith stepped from the 
canoe, and said a whispered good-bye to the 
stranger, and watched the canoe dart off straight 


182 


A LITTLE MAID 


toward Shoreham. He had scaled the cliff, 
while Faith kept the canoe close under the alder 
bushes, entered the door of the fort, and skil- 
fully made his way about the fortifications, de- 
termining the right place for an attack and as- 
suring himself that the fortress contained valua- 
ble stores. 

As Faith stepped from the canoe the man tried 
to thank her. 

“ Some day your Uncle Scott will hear of this, 
and be proud indeed of so brave a child/ 7 he 
said, “ and I shall tell Colonel Allen your name, 
and of your courage. Be sure of that. You 
have helped the American cause more than a 
regiment of soldiers.” 

Faith said over his words as she made her way 
across the fields. She recalled her first visit to 
the fort. “ Fm glad those girls ran off that 
day/ 7 she thought, as she gently tried the back 
door. It was securely fastened. A low warning 
growl from “ Scotchie 77 made her fear to lift a 
window. He would arouse the household. She 
stood on the steps, shivering a little in the sharp 
March wind. “ I must get in without making 
a noise, 77 she thought. But she could think of 
no way to accomplish it. 


OF TICONDEROGA 183 

In spite of her silence “ Scotchie ” realized 
that some one was outside. He barked, growled, 
and once or twice threw himself against the door. 
Then suddenly his growls stopped, and, before 
Faith had time to move, the kitchen door opened 
slightly and she heard her uncle say, “ Who’s 
there ? ” and knew that, musket in hand, he was 
awaiting her answer. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


HOME AGAIN 

“ Scotches ” warning growl turned to a joy- 
ful greeting as Faitli spoke his name. 

“ Great Csesar ! Faith ! ” exclaimed her uncle, 
drawing her into the kitchen. “ What on earth 
are you doing out-of-doors at this time of 
night? ” 

“ You locked the door,” whimpered Faith. 

“ But why did you not call out ? We thought 
you went straight to bed,” said her uncle. 

“ I went down to the shore ” began Faith, 

and then stopped suddenly. 

“ Well, go straight to bed, and tell your aunt 
about it in the morning. She is fast asleep 
now.” 

Faith was glad to obey. She was too tired 
and sleepy to be greatly troubled by what would 
happen in the morning. She had resolved that 
if Aunt Prissy questioned her she would tell the 
truth. But she hoped earnestly that in some 
184 


OF TICONDEROGA 


i8 5 

way the secret could be kept even from her aunt 
and uncle, until Mr. Phelps should tell them. 

When she came down to breakfast it appeared 
that her uncle had only told Aunt Prissy that 
Faith had run out after supper, and, instead of 
calling and knocking until some one opened the 
door, had waited until “ Scotchie’s ” bark had 
brought him to the door. 

Aunt Prissy was more surprised and alarmed 
at this news than Faith had expected. She cau- 
tioned Faith never to go out without telling 
some one of the family. 

“ Why, some wolf or wildcat might have been 
about ; or a party of Indians might have hap- 
pened along and taken you off,” she said. 
“ And we should never have known what had 
become of you.” 

Faith promised never again to leave the house 
without her aunt’s permission, and was glad in- 
deed that she had escaped without telling of her 
journey to the fort. 

“ Aunt Prissy ! Do you know what day this 
is?” she asked, so soberly that her aunt looked 
at her a little anxiously. “ It is the very last 
day of March ; it has been a warm and pleasant 
month, and my father has not come for me.” 


1 86 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ And are you so anxious to say good-bye to 
us, Faithie? You know that instead of your 
making a visit home your father has decided it 
is best for you to stay ; not come back unless for 
a visit, until another autumn,” responded Aunt 
Prissy. 

“ Yes, I know. But why does he not come? ” 
persisted Faith. 

“ Perhaps to-day will bring him,” Aunt 
Prissy answered hopefully. 

Faith came and stood close beside Aunt 
Prissy’s chair. She wanted to say that she 
loved her cousins and uncle and Aunt Prissy 
very dearly ; to tell her that she had been 
happy ; and that it had been a beautiful visit ; 
but that now she wanted to see her own dear 
mother more than anything else. But how 
could she say all this so that Aunt Prissy would 
understand ? 

Aunt Prissy put down her knitting and drew 
the little girl into her lap. 

“ There ! Now t<ell me all about it, dear,” she 
said, resting her fa against Faith’s yellow curls. 

And Faith told her all that she had been 
thinking ; all that she had thought would be so 
difficult. And Aunt Prissy listened, saying, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


187 

“ Of course,” and “ Yes, indeed,” from time to 
time, and understanding even more than Faith 
found words to tell. 

“ Why, Aunt Prissy, it's almost like having 
two homes,” concluded Faith. 

Before Aunt Prissy could answer there was 
the sound of voices in the kitchen, and Donald, 
closely followed by Mr. Carew, came into the 
room. 

“ IPs the very last day of March ! ” Faith re- 
minded him. 

“ And I came near not getting here to-day,” 
her father replied, as Faith drew him to the big 
chair near the window, and climbed to a seat on 
his knees. “ I was held up on the trail by a 
tall fellow, from Connecticut, as it proved. He 
was bound to make me own up that I was an 
English spy. I told him my name, and my 
errand, and when I spoke Faith’s name, why, he 
was at once my best friend, told me of his visit 
at this house, and could not say enough in praise 
of my little daughter,” responded Mr. Carew. 

“The Americans seem to j gaining courage,” 
said Aunt Prissy. “ The men of the Wilderness 
do not mean to let the other Colonies do all the 
fighting, I’m sure.” 


1 8 8 


A LITTLE MAID 


“ Indeed we’ll do our part, Priscilla,” her 
brother assured her. 

Faith told her father of the disappearance of 
Mr. Trent and Louise; of the quilting party, 
and of all the happenings since his November 
visit. But she did not tell him of guiding the 
Connecticut man to the pathway up the cliff to 
Fort Ticonderoga. 

It was evident that Mr. Phelps had kept the 
secret for some purpose of his own ; so, much as 
she wanted her father to know, Faith resolved 
that she would not tell him. This secret did 
not worry and trouble her as the others had 
done. “ I guess it’s because this secret means 
helping somebody, and the others were just — 
well, just mean secrets,” Faith decided, as she 
thought it over. 

The next morning Faith and her father were 
ready to start at an early hour. Uncle Phil, 
Aunt Prissy, the boys and “ Scotchie ” walked 
with them to the shore. 

“ You will come back when summer comes, 
won’t you, Cousin Faith ? ” said Donald. 
“ You’ll come for a visit even if you don’t stay 
and go to school.” 

“ I will if I can,” Faith promised, “ and when 


OF TICONDEROGA 189 

Louise comes back give her the blue beads, Aunt 
Prissy.” 

“ Yes, indeed, dear child,” responded her 
aunt, wondering to herself if Louise and her 
father would ever again be seen in that vicinity. 
Then there were messages for Faith’s mother, 
and not until she was in the canoe were the 
good-byes really said. 

The little group stood on the shore watching 
the canoe for some minutes, and then turned 
back toward the house. They were all very 
quiet, but as they reached the road Donald 
called out : “ There’s somebody on our door- 
step ! Why, it is Louise ! Yes, it is,” and with 
a gay call he was off, running swiftly toward 
the house while the others hurried after him. 

“ Where is Faith ? ” Louise asked eagerly, 
when Mrs. Scott had welcomed her, and they 
were in the big kitchen. 

“ She’s gone home,” said Donald, before his 
mother could answer. But Mrs. Scott told the 
little girl of how much Faith had missed her, 
and of the string of blue beads that she had left 
to be given to Louise. 

It was evident that Louise was greatly disap- 
pointed to find that her friend had gone. But 


A LITTLE MAID 


190 

she fastened the beads about her neck, and 
touched them with loving fingers. 

“ Faith was my very first friend,” she said. 
“ My father says that we have come back to 
stay,” she added, “ and perhaps Faith will come 
in the summer?” There was such a pleading, 
questioning look in the girl’s dark eyes that 
Mrs. Scott felt a new tenderness and sympathy 
for her, and put her arm about Louise as she 
answered : 

“Perhaps she will. But you must come often 
and see me ; for we shall both miss her very 
much.” 

“Oh, may I, Mrs. Scott? I was afraid you 
wouldn’t want me to come,” and Louise’s face 
brightened. 

“ Why, I am to help you with your studies, 
and Donald is to call for you when you begin 
school. Faith arranged all that,” responded 
Mrs. Scott smilingly. 

Faith was silent as the canoe went swiftly 
across the lake, and they had nearly reached 
the shore before she began asking questions 
about “ Bounce,” whom her father declared to 
be now a “ grown-up cat,” and about all the 
familiar things about the house and mill. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


191 

“ Listen, father I ” she said, as they landed, 
and he drew the canoe to its hiding-place in the 
alder bushes. “ Hear the falls I ” and for a mo- 
ment the two stood quietly hearkening to the 
“ Chiming Waters.” 

Then Mr. Carew adjusted the pack, con- 
taining Faith’s belongings, picked up his 
musket, without which no woodsman dared 
travel in those days, and they started up the 
trail. 

Everywhere were evidences that spring was 
near at hand. Many trees and shrubs were 
showing the delicate gray green of coming buds; 
and now and then the fragrance of the wild 
arbutus was in the air. Birds were busy ; wood- 
thrushes and pewees were calling ; now and then 
a golden-throated warbler sounded his clear note. 
The air was soft and warm for the season, and 
Faith was so happy in the thought of being 
really on her way home that she forgot for a 
time that Mr. Phelps had said that no Amer- 
ican settler’s home in the Wilderness could’ be 
safe until Fort Ticonderoga was held by Amer- 
ican soldiers. 

“ It’s lovely to be going home, isn’t it, 
father ? ” she said ; and Mr. Carew smiled 


A LITTLE MAID 


192 

down at his little daughter, and agreed with 
her that nothing better could be desired. 

u We shall see with glad surprise 
Lilies spring, and verdure rise ; 

And soon, amidst the wilds, we* 11 hear 
Murmuring waters falling clear,” — 

sang Mr. Carew softly. 

“ Oh, that is mother’s song,” exclaimed Faith. 
“ It just means home, doesn’t it ? ” And again 
her father was quite ready to agree. 

They walked slowly up the rocky trail and 
when they reached the top of the first ridge 
they stopped to rest and eat the excellent lunch 
that Aunt Prissy had prepared for them. But 
Faith declared that she was not tired. It seemed 
to her that she could run all the way if her 
father would only permit. And when in the 
early afternoon she first heard the sound of the 
mill-stream she did run, until, out of breath, 
she had to rest on a moss-grown stump for her 
father to catch up with her. 

And then, in a short time, they were stand- 
ing on the edge of the clearing. The brook was 
dancing and singing as if eager to welcome 
Faith ; the sun shone warmly down on mill 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*93 

and cabin and running down the path came 
Mrs. Carew ; while standing near the cabin was 
Kashaqua, in her gayest feathers, grunting and 
smiling. 

“ Mother dear ! Mother dear ! ” called Faith, 
as she ran forward and was held close in her 
mother's arms. 


CHAPTER XIX 


FAITH WHITES A LETTER 

Kashaqua was evidently delighted to see 
Faith safely at home once more. She had 
brought a present for her little friend ; and 
after Faith had talked to her mother, and yet, 
as she declared, had “ not begun to tell her ” 
all she had to tell, Kashaqua unrolled a soft 
bundle and spread out the skin of a black bear 
cub. It was hardly larger than the skin of a 
good-sized puppy ; but the fur was so soft and 
glossy that Faith and her mother exclaimed 
admiringly over its beauty, and Faith said that 
she would take the greatest care of it. She 
questioned Kashaqua about “ Nooski,” the tame 
bear which had followed them on their journey 
to Ticonderoga. 

“ Gone ! ” replied Kashaqua, and had no more 
to tell of the wild creature that she had tamed, 
and, suddenly, Kashaqua disappeared in her 
usual silent fashion without a sign or word of 
farewell. 


194 


OF TICONDEROGA 


*95 

Faith was tired, and quite satisfied to rest on 
the big settle and talk to her mother, while 
“ Bounce,” steady and well-behaved, curled up 
on the hearth rug. Faith told her mother 
about Louise ; about Caroline and Catherine and 
their mischief, and of the quilting party. She 
told her about Nathan Beaman, and of the skat- 
ing on the lake, and how the English soldiers 
had extinguished the fire and spoiled their fun. 
But she did not tell her of the evening when 
she had guided Mr. Phelps up the moonlit lake 
to the foot of the cliff, and told him how to 
make his way into the fort. Some time, she 
resolved, her mother should know all about it ; 
but she still felt that she must keep it a secret. 

Mrs. Carew asked many questions about the 
fort. 

“ There is more travel over the trails than ever 
before,” she told the little girl, “ and we hardly 
know who are our friends. The English are 
sending their spies everywhere. Be very cau- 
tious, Faithie, and say nothing to any stranger 
that you have ever been near Fort Ticonderoga. 
This part of the country will not be safe until 
American soldiers take the place of the English 
in the fort.” 


A LITTLE MAID 


196 

“ Oh, mother dear, I hope they will soon. I 
wish that I could help take the fort.” 

11 Who knows but you may help in some way, 
when the right time comes,” her mother re- 
sponded, smiling at her little daughter's eager- 
ness. “ Now, I am going out to get something 
for you. Something that you will like very 
much,” she added, and left Faith alone. 

Faith closed her eyes, wondering happily what 
it was that her mother would bring. She thought 
of the caraway cookies, of the little round pies 
made of the dried pumpkin, and then a noise at 
the door made her open her eyes. For an in- 
stant she believed that she must be asleep and 
dreaming, for Esther Eldridge was standing in 
the door— Esther grown taller and stronger, with 
red cheeks and shining eyes. 

“ Yes, it's really Esther,” Mrs. Carew called over 
the little girl’s shoulder, and Esther ran toward 
the settle as Faith started forward to meet her. 

“ Isn’t this a fine surprise ? ” Esther exclaimed. 
“ I was so afraid you would hear about our liv- 
ing here before you got home.” 

“ Living here? ” questioned Faith, looking so 
puzzled that both Mrs. Carew and Esther laughed 
aloud. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


197 

“ Yes ! yes, indeed ! My father and mother 
and I,” answered Esther delightedly. 

“ But where ? I have been up-stairs, and all 
over the house and I didn’t see anybody, or any- 
thing,” said Faith. 

“Oh, we live in our own house — a house just 
like this; or it will be just like this when it is 
all finished,” and Esther told of her father’s de- 
cision to bring his family to the Wilderness to 
live. He had purchased a grant of land adjoin- 
ing that held by Mr. Carew soon after Esther’s 
visit in September. The timber for the cabin 
had been cut early in the winter, and the cabin 
begun, and now it was nearly finished. “ We 
moved last week,” said Esther, “ and you can 
see our house from your back door.” 

Faith forgot all about being tired and ran to 
the back door to look. Yes, there it was ; the 
big new cabin, near the path down which Ethan 
Allen had led her home, when, angry at Esther, 
she had run off to the woods. 

“ Isn’t it splendid ! Oh, Esther, it is the very 
best thing that ever happened,” Faith declared ; 
“ isn’t it, mother dear ? ” 

Mrs. Carew was quite ready to agree with her 
little daughter. “ Good neighbors was the only 


A LITTLE MAID 


198 

thing we really lacked,” she agreed, “ and perhaps 
others will come when there is better protection 
for their safety.” 

The two little friends had much to tell each 
other, and when Esther started for home Faith 
walked with her as far as the mill. From the 
mill the new cabin could be clearly seen. 

“ Do you remember asking me if I listened to 
the brook ? ” Esther asked laughingly, as they 
stood looking at the dancing waters of the 
stream. “ Well, I know now just what you 
meant. It’s company, isn’t it? ” 

Then Faith told her of the “ Chiming Waters ” 
of Ticonderoga, and of some of the old tales of 
the lake that her aunt and Nathan had related. 

“Did you see the English soldiers?” ques- 
tioned Esther. 

“Oh, yes.” And Faith described the skating 
party on the lake that the redcoats had interfered 
with. “ I wish I could see Ethan Allen, as I did 
that day in September, and tell him all about 
the fort and the soldiers, and ask him to drive 
the English away. My father says that Colonel 
Allen could drive them away,” said Faith. 

“ Of course he could ! My father says so, too,” 
agreed Esther. “ Would it not be a fine thing 


OF T1C0NDER0GA 


199 

for us to send him a letter, Faith, and ask 
him? ” 

“ Oh, Esther ! That’s just what I thought of. 
But we ought to do it right away, for more sol- 
diers are coming to the fort, Nathan Beaman 
says, and then it won’t be so easy,” responded 
Faith. 

The two little girls talked earnestly. They 
both knew of the cave on the rocky slope near 
Lake Dunmore, and that messages were some- 
times left there for the settlers. But Lake Dun- 
more was a long distance away. 

“ It would take all day to go and get back,” 
said Esther, “ and our mothers would never let 
us go ; you know they wouldn’t.” 

“ One of us ought to go to-morrow,” answered 
Faith, “ but how can we plan it? ” 

“ I know ! I know ! ” declared Esther. “ I’ll 
ask your mother if you may come for a visit, 
and then you’ll go home at night. Some time 
you can tell her all about it,” concluded Esther 
as she noticed Faith’s serious and doubtful ex- 
pression. 

“ And what will you do? Don’t you mean 
to go with me?” asked Faith. 

“ Oh, yes ! I’ll tell my mother I am going to 


200 


A LITTLE MAID 


spend the day with you. Then well start off in 
good season, and well get home before our 
mothers miss us,” said Esther. 

“ Faith ! Faith I ” and Mrs. Carew’s voice 
sounded through the clear air. 

“ I must run back now. Ill write the letter 
to-night and be over near your house as early as 
I can in the morning,” said Faith. 

“ Hide behind the big pine,” said Esther, and 
the two friends, greatly excited over their 
project, separated and ran toward their respective 
homes. 

It was not easy for Faith to write the letter, 
for she would have to ask her mother for the 
quill pen, and the bottle of ink, made from the 
juice of the pokeberry. But in the early even- 
ing, while her mother was busy, Faith secured 
the quill and ink and a sheet of the treasured 
paper and wrote her letter : 

“ Dear Mr. Colonel Ethan Allen,” she wrote. 
“ Will you please send the English soldiers 
away from Fort Ticonderoga ? Nathan Beaman, 
who lives at Shoreham, will show you how to get 
in. Please send them soon, or more will come. 

** Respectfully your friend, 

“ Faith Carew.” 


OF TICONDEROGA 


201 


She had time to fold and seal the letter with 
the big stick of red wax, softening the wax be- 
fore the sitting-room fire. A moment later and 
her mother came in, saying she had best go to 
bed and get a good night’s rest. 

“ May I spend to-morrow, all day, with 
Esther?” asked Faith, as her mother went up- 
stairs with her, and feeling her face flush with 
the consciousness of not telling her mother all 
the truth. 

“ Your very first day at home, dear child ! 
Why, I should be running over to Mrs. El- 
dridge’s every hour to make sure that you were 
really within reach,” responded her mother. 

“Oh, mother, you wouldn’t!” said Faith, so 
earnestly that Mrs. Carew smiled reassuringly 
and said : 

“ Well, perhaps not every hour. But if you 
want to spend the day with Esther you may. 
’Tis not as if you were going back to Aunt 
Prissy in a week.” 

“ And you won’t come to Mrs. Eldridge’s at 
all, will you, mother dear ? ” pleaded Faith. 
“ I’ll be safe, and I’ll come home early.” 

“You shall do as you like, dear child. I 
know you will do nothing but what will please 


202 A LITTLE MAID 

me,” and Mrs. Carew leaned over to kiss Faith 
good-night. 

“ Oh, dear,” Faith whispered to herself 
guiltily, as her mother went down the stairs. 
“ Here is another secret, the biggest of all. But 
I can’t tell mother.” 

The song of the brook seemed louder than 
ever before to the little girl that night, as she 
lay watching the April stars shine through her 
window. She remembered that her mother 
had said that perhaps a little girl could help. 
“ Mother dear is sure to be glad when she 
knows that Colonel Allen had to be told about 
Nathan,” thought Faith ; and then the brook’s 
song grew softer and softer and she was fast 
asleep. 

Faith was down-stairs the next morning 
almost as soon as her father and mother. She 
had on her brown dress and her moccasins, and 
the letter was safely hidden in her pocket. She 
could hardly keep still long enough to eat her 
breakfast. 

“ Esther wanted me to come early, mother 
dear, and I promised,” she urged ; so her mother 
bade her be off, and stood in the door and 
watched the little girl run down the slope, feel- 


OF TICONDEROGA 


203 

ing a little disappointed that Faith should be so 
eager to be with Esther instead of remaining at 
home. 

But early as it was Faith found Esther wait- 
ing for her. 

“ Did you bring anything to eat ? ” asked 
Esther. 

“ I never thought of it I ” replied Faith, “ and 
I don’t believe I could, anyway.” 

“ Well, I thought of it. I have a fine square 
of corn cake, a piece of cold venison, and a square 
of molasses cake,” said Esther, holding up a 
small basket. “ Now, creep along on the edge 
of the trail until we are well up the ridge. 
Then we can walk as we please.” 

Faith obeyed. She thought to herself how 
fortunate it was that Esther had come to live 
in the Wilderness, and that she was ready to 
help carry the message. 

“ Isn’t it lovely in the woods ! ” said Esther, 
as they reached the summit of the ridge, and 
turned to look back down the winding trail. 
“ Father said this morning that the spring was 
early, and ’tis surely warm as summer.” 

As they rested for a little while on a bank of 
firm green moss Faith told Esther of “ Nooski’s ” 


A LITTLE MAID 


204 

sadden appearance when she and Kashaqua 
were on their journey to the lake. 

“ Goodness ! ” exclaimed Esther, peering anx- 
iously into the underbrush. “ I hope we shan't 
see any bears to-day, not even a tame one.” 

The sun was high in the April skies when 
the two little girls came in sight of Lake Dun- 
more. The trail led near the lake ; and Esther 
was very sure that she knew just where to look 
for the cave. 

“ It's near a big pine tree, and you can only 
see rocks. Father showed me when we came 
from Brandon,” she said. 

The little girls were very tired and hungry, 
and Faith suggested that they should eat their 
luncheon and rest before searching for the 
cave. 

“ I wish I had brought more corn bread,” said 
Esther, when they had finished the last morsel 
of the food. 

“ It’s lucky you brought as much as you did,” 
responded Faith. “ We'd better begin looking 
for the cave now.” 

It was hard work climbing up the rocky hill- 
side, and it did not seem such an easy matter to 
locate the cave as Esther had expected. They 


OF TICONDEROGA 


205 

peered under rocks, and climbed over ledges, 
and were nearly discouraged when a sudden 
noise made Faith grasp Esther’s arm with a 
whispered “ Hush ” ; for almost in front of 
them, apparently coming directly out of the 
hillside, appeared the head and shoulders of a 
man. But they were too near to conceal them- 
selves or to try and run away. 

“ Great Caesar’s Ghost 1 ” exclaimed the man, 
crawling out from the cave. “ Two little maids ! 
Where did you come from ? ” 

Faith’s hold on Esther’s arm tightened. 
“ Don’t tell. Don’t answer his questions,” she 
whispered, remembering her mother’s caution 
about strangers, and thinking perhaps this 
might be an English spy who had discovered 
the cave. 

“ Where are the others? ” asked the man. 

Esther looked questioningly at Faith, but 
neither of them spoke. 

The man’s stern face softened as he looked at 
the two little figures. He realized they must 
be the children of some settler in the Wilderness 
— perhaps children who had wandered too far 
from home and lost their way. 

“ You need not be afraid to speak,” he said 


206 A LITTLE MAID 

smilingly. “ Perhaps I know your fathers. 
Tell me your names.” 

Faith was quite sure that this was a question 
which could be safely answered, so both the 
little girls spoke their names, and instantly the 
man responded by saying : 

“ Then you,” and he nodded to Faith, “ are 
Miller Carew’s daughter. I know your father 
well. Tell him Seth Warner has been in Salis- 
bury and is now starting back to Bennington. 
But how come you this distance from home?” 

Both Faith and Esther knew that Seth 
Warner was a friend of the settlers, and before 
he had finished speaking Faith was quite ready 
to tell him their errand and to give the note 
for Colonel Allen into his hands. 

He listened in evident amazement to the 
story of their morning’s journey, for he well 
knew the dangers of the wilderness trail. 

“ I will go with you to within sight of your 
homes,” insisted their new friend, “ and I shall 
not forget to tell Colonel Allen of your courage.” 

“Will he come soon and take the fort?” 
asked Faith. 

“ More quickly for your help than without 
it, little maid. But go not so far from home 


OF TICONDEROGA 


207 

again,” Mr. Warner answered, with a kindly 
smile. 

It was sunset, and Mr. Carew was starting to 
bring Faith home from her visit to Esther, when 
he saw his little daughter coming down the 
path. She walked so slowly that her father 
hastened to meet her. 

“ I'm so tired, father,” she said. “ Couldn't 
you carry me home ? ” 

“ Of course I can,” and he lifted her in his 
arms and, anxious and worried by her pale face 
and evident fatigue, hurried toward the house. 


CHAPTER XX 

THE CAPTURE OF THE FORT 

It was noon the next day when Faith awoke; 
and although she was quite ready to dress and 
go down-stairs, her mother thought it best for 
her to stay in bed. 

Faith wondered to herself if Esther’s feet 
ached as hers did ; and, more than this, she was 
anxious to know if their parents had any idea 
of where she and Esther had spent the previous 
day. 

“ There will be so much for me to tell mother,” 
she thought, a little uneasily, hoping that soon 
she would again have no secrets to conceal. 

When Faith came down-stairs she found 
Esther waiting to see her ; and, in response to 
Faith’s questioning look, she nodded and smiled 
reassuringly. Esther had brought over her Eng- 
lish grammar, for it had been decided that the 
two little girls were to study together two hours 
each day ; one day at Faith’s house, and the 
next at Esther’s. 


208 


OF TICONDEROGA 


209 

“ It's all right ; our mothers don’t know. But 
what made you so tired ? ” said Esther, as soon 
as the girls were alone. 

Faith shook her head. “ I don’t know. I do 
hope we can tell all about it soon. I’ve a great 
mind to tell mother now.” 

“You mustn’t. Don’t you remember? Mr. 
Warner said that soon he would tell our fathers, 
and they would be proud of us. But if we tell 
them now they won’t be proud ; they will be 
vexed, and maybe punish us. Wait until Colo- 
nel Allen tells them that you helped him. 
Then ’twill be all right,” advised Esther, and 
Faith agreed, a little doubtfully. 

It was difficult for the two little girls to fix 
their minds on their lessons that day, and for 
many days to come. They both watched the 
trail, each day expecting to see some messenger 
who would bring news that Colonel Allen was 
in possession of Fort Ticonderoga ; but April 
passed, and Esther declared that she did not 
believe the Americans wanted the fort. 

“ I am going to tell my mother everything. 
All about our going to Lake Dunmore, and my 
letter, and something else,” declared Faith. 

It was one day early in May, and she and 


210 


A LITTLE MAID 


Esther were coming up from Beaver meadow, 
where they had been watching the little crea- 
tures, who were very active and did not seem to 
fear the two little figures at the edge of the 
woods. The beavers were building a dam ; they 
had dragged trees to the side of the stream, and 
it seemed a very wonderful thing to Esther when 
she saw the beavers sink one end of these stakes, 
while others raised and fastened the other end, 
twisting in the small branches of the trees, and 
plastering mud over all with their feet and tails. 
She was thinking to herself that there were 
more strange things to see in the Wilderness in 
one day than in a whole year in a village, when 
she felt Faith seize her arm and say laughingly : 

“ You haven’t heard a word. Now, listen ! 
I am going to tell my mother.” 

The little girls were now in sight of the clear- 
ing, and, before Esther could answer, Faith 
stopped suddenly and exclaimed : 

“Look, Esther! There’s a man just leaving 
the mill, and running up the trail as fast as he 
can go. A stranger.” 

Quite forgetting beavers and secrets the two 
little girls ran toward the house. “ There’s my 
father,” said Esther as they reached the door. 


OF TICONDEROGA 


21 I 


Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge were both in the 
kitchen of the Carew house, and none of the 
elder people appeared to notice the two girls. 

Mr. Carew was loading his musket, and 
Faith's mother was packing a knapsack with 
provisions. 

“ Here are the children/' said Mrs. Eldridge, 
as she turned toward the door ; and then Esther 
saw that her father was waiting for Mr. Carew. 

“ Faithie dear, your father is going to Castle- 
ton," said Mrs. Carew, fastening the knapsack, 
and in a moment Faith was held close in her 
father's arms, and then the two men were off, 
striding down the trail. 

“ Are they going to take Ticonderoga ? " Faith 
questioned eagerly. 

The two women looked at her in surprise, but 
Mrs. Carew answered quickly : 

“ Of course they are. Americans are guard- 
ing the trail, so we are safe enough at present. 
But neither of you girls must go beyond the 
clearing." 

“ When shall we know about the fort, mother ? 
When will we know ? " asked Faith. 

“Soon, I hope, child. But talk not of it 
now," responded her mother. 


212 


A LITTLE MAID 


Bat after a little Mrs. Eldridge told them that 
a messenger had come from Bennington, sum- 
moning the settlers to Castleton to meet Colonel 
Allen. Faith and Esther listened to the story 
of the far-off battle of Lexington, in Massa- 
chusetts, the news of which had determined the 
Green Mountain Boys to make an immediate 
attack on the fort. These men were the settlers 
of the New Hampshire Grants, living long dis- 
tances apart, and obliged to travel over rough 
trails, through deep forests, across rivers and 
mountains. 

There were no smooth roads or fleet horses to 
help them on their way ; there was little time 
for preparation when Allen's summons came ; 
they had no uniforms, no strains of music ; but 
no truer soldiers ever faced danger than the 
Green Mountain Boys. 

That night Faith told her mother the story of 
her adventure in the fort, when Nathan had 
rescued her and taken her down the cliff. She 
told of the evening in March when she had 
guided Mr. Phelps along the moonlit shore of 
the lake and told him of the entrance to the 
fort; and last of all she described her journey 
with Esther over the trail to Lake Dunmore, 


OF TICONDEROGA 


213 

and the letter to Ethan Allen which she had 
given to Seth Warner. 

Mrs. Carew listened in amazement ; but she 
had no word of blame for Faith. She realized 
the dangers the child had so unknowingly 
faced with a sense that her little girl had been 
guarded by a protection greater than any by 
which she could have surrounded her ; and she 
wondered, too, if it were not possible that Faith 
might not really have helped in the great under- 
taking for which her father was ready to give 
all that he had to give. 

“ Mother dear, I despise secrets,” Faith whis- 
pered, as she finished the story, “and I mean 
never to have another one.” 

Three days later Mr. Carew came swinging 
across the clearing. He waved his cap in the 
air as Faith came running to meet him. 

“ Ticonderoga is ours,” he called, “ and the 
English prisoners are on their way to Hartford. 
And so it was you, little maid, who helped 
Phelps to a plan of the fort, and told Ethan 
Allen of young Beaman ! ” 

“Did it help, father? Did it help?” Faith 
asked eagerly. 

“ Help? Indeed it did. Young Beaman led 


A LITTLE MAID 


214 

the way to the fort, and we were in without 
firing a shot. And Colonel Allen and his men 
hold the fort,” replied Mr. Carew. 

He could stay for but a few hours, as he was 
carrying the news to the settlements. It was 
several days before he was at home again, and 
told them more fully of Allen's triumph, and 
of the capture of Crown Point by Seth Warner 
and his followers. 

Toward the last of May Aunt Prissy, accom- 
panied by Nathan Beaman, arrived at the log 
cabin, and Faith heard the story of Louise's 
arrival at Ticonderoga. 

“ Her father has been taken a prisoner to 
Hartford, and Louise will stay with me,” Aunt 
Prissy said. “ I will adopt her for my own 
daughter if her father consents.” 

“ I do hope he will,” said Faith, glad indeed 
to know that her friend was safe. 

“And so my little Faith did help take the 
fort after all, thanks to Nathan,” said Aunt 
Prissy, smiling down at her little niece. 

“ 'Twas Faith who really helped, for she told 
Colonel Allen about me,” Nathan added hand- 
somely. 

All this made Faith a very happy little 


OF TICONDEROGA 


21 5 

girl ; but when, a few weeks later, a messenger 
brought her a letter from Ethan Allen himself, 
she felt that no other little girl in all the 
American Colonies could, be as proud as Faith 
Carew. She confessed to her mother that, after 
all, some secrets were worth keeping. Colonel 
Allen invited her to make a visit to the fort, 
and it was arranged that her father should take 
her to Ticonderoga and that she should stay for 
a few days with Aunt Prissy. 

So once again she went over the trail and 
crossed the lake, and on a pleasant June morn- 
ing with her father and Aunt Prissy, she stood 
again at the entrance to Fort Ticonderoga. This 
time she was not left alone, as on her first visit, 
a frightened deserted child. For it was Colonel 
Allen himself, tall and handsome, who met the 
little party at the entrance and escorted them 
about the fortifications. 

“ 1 Faith/ ” he said kindly, as he bade them 
good-bye, “ Tis indeed the best of names for a 
little American girl ; a name that I shall ever 
remember.” 

Faith was very quiet as they walked toward 
home. She was thinking to herself of all the 
happy experiences of the past weeks; and not 


2l6 


A LITTLE MAID 


until she saw Louise waiting for her at Aunt 
Prissy’s gate did her face lose its serious ex- 
pression. She ran ahead of the others and 
called out : “ Louise ! Louise ! You will be 
Aunt Prissy’s little girl, won’t you? Because 
then you’ll really be an American.” 

Louise nodded happily. 

“ Yes ; and father is going to be an American, 
too. Didn’t Aunt Prissy tell you ? ” she re- 
sponded ; “ and it’s all because you were my 
friend, Faith,” she added more soberly, as the 
two girls entered the house, and stood hand in 
hand at the door where, but a few months ago, 
Louise had entered a ragged, unhappy child. 

“ We’ll always be friends, shan’t we ! ” said 
Faith, and Louise earnestly responded : 

“ Always.” 


The Stories in this Series are : 

A LITTLE MAID OF PROVINCE TOWN 
A LITTLE MAID OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY 
A LITTLE MAID OF NARRAGANSETT BAY 
A LITTLE MAID OF BUNKER HILL 
A LITTLE MAID OF TICONDEROGA 


ALICE TURNER CURTIS 

M RS. CURTIS lives in Bos- 
ton, and is a well-known 
contributor to “The 
Youth’s Companion.” She says: 

“When I was a little girl, just 
as far back as I can remember, 
I thought that a book was the 
dearest possession in the world. 
The very first book I ever 
owned was ‘Whittier’s Poems.’ 
I learned many of the poems 
especially ‘Mogg Megone’. 
“Books of adventure pleased me best. Stories of 
the sea, of storms and wrecks on desert islands. My 
Sather had been on many long voyages. 

“The Damariscotta River, Maine, is the river of 
which I write in ‘Grandpa’s Little Girls’ Houseboat 
Party,’ and there really are wonderful shell heaps at 
one place on its banks, and people come long distances 
to look at them, and scientific men have many theories 
as to their origin. 

“ ‘Miss Abitha,’ too, is not wholly imaginary; as 
I know a dear lady who lives in a littleMaine town, and 
who has made many children happy in some of the 
ways I describe in the stories of Pine Tree. Farm. 
Perhaps because I was such a happy child, I think that 
all children who live near the sea must be happy — ■ 
especially if it is a place with broad fields and rough 
pastures, and hills and woods.” 

Among the books Mrs. Curtis has written are: 

The Grandpa’s Little Girls Stories 
The Little Runaways Series 
The Marjorie Books 
The Story of Cotton 
A Little Maid of Provincetown 
A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony 
A Little Maid of Narragansett Bay 
A Little Maid of Bunker Hill 






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